


Somnolence

by spectralcreek



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Angst, Dreams and Nightmares, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Mutual Pining, Post-Kingdom Hearts III, Sharing a Bed, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-10
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:54:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 44,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22191385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spectralcreek/pseuds/spectralcreek
Summary: Following their return to the Land of Departure after the final battle with Xehanort, Aqua and Terra find that darkness and demons still linger in their hearts. They find solace in the strength of the bond and feelings they share as they undertake a journey through their memories in the Realm of Sleep.
Relationships: Aqua/Terra (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 23
Kudos: 112





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Having been fans of the KH series since the beginning of time, we're finally diving head-first into fandom with a novel-length fic about our long-time faves, the Wayfinder Trio, and Terra/Aqua. Written in the year between the release of KHIII and the KHIII DLC; please forgive any fandom faux pas or future discrepancies from any new convoluted plot twists in the KH series.
> 
> Content Warning: This is some deep emotional h/c, so while it's strong on the comfort (it's got plenty of soft moments and a happy ending; it's Disney, after all!), it also deals with the hurt that has taken place in the series. Shades and depictions of PTSD, self-doubt, intrusive thoughts, and insecurities that have arisen from trauma the characters have gone through. Take care!

“Terra! Aqua! Did you see that!?” Ven exclaimed, flourishing his keyblade after performing a mid-air cartwheel and landing squarely on his own two feet. He’d been bounding across the grassy training ground for the better part of 20 minutes and showed no signs of tiring.

“Sure did, Ven. Looking good!” Terra encouraged from the ancient broken stone pillars that served as seats.

The trio had enjoyed an evening picnic outdoors in the warm setting sun, along with Chirithy. Ven had been eager to share tales of his dreams and the adventures he’d seen, and often felt as a participant. It was helpful, grounding, and allowed them to regain some understanding of the epic trials the worlds had been through in their time apart. Hazy patterns of understanding started to settle, and exuberance and relief began taking root in the myriad of emotions they were feeling. 

Aqua felt the weight of her time away from the Realm of Light, separated from the places and people she loved. Her eternity away had tended to shift in feelings of time, simultaneously dreadfully unending and monotonously condensed. Hearing of all that had happened in her absence, she felt as if she’d missed entire ages. She turned her face to the sunset, vibrant orange fading to deep blue, willing the bright light to burn away the underlying pangs of regret. 

She was here with her family. She was home. She was so full of feelings that she thought surely she would need somewhere else other than her own form to contain them. In the short time they had been reunited, she’d talked sparingly of her time in the Realm of Darkness, and Terra less still; he said his memories were sporadic. There were times when he lit up, when he smiled at them warmly, when she felt they’d connected. But she also saw him slightly flinch or grow distant as Ven mentioned the dark clouds that had drawn across the worlds. The exuberance of youth helped, though. There were times of hollow, sad smiles, and there were times of genuine happiness. There were times that felt normal, like everything was as it had been and as it should be, and then her mind would shift and nothing could possibly ever feel normal again.

Aqua rode the turbulent sea of her emotions. For now, she drew comfort from her friends, trusting the waters surely must calm with time. She was grateful for the laughter after their meal, glad that joy still could push away the sadness.

She watched Ven leap across the grass, and call out, “Hey, watch this!”

Ven threw his keyblade like a boomerang around the obstacles of the training ground, calling it back to his hand, and striking a dramatic pose. Chirithy hopped with delight, waving his little paws. 

“Ven, how are you not tired yet?” Aqua marveled.

“Aqua, I slept for _ten years!_ It feels so good to _move!_ ” He spun in a circle.

An easy yet loaded comment. Happiness. Freedom. Reunion. Time. Burden. Loss. 

“Somebody come spar with me!” Ven continued. “Terra, come on!”

Aqua watched Terra draw away again, but recover quickly. She imagined he had no intention of raising his keyblade against them, even to play fight. “Nah, not me, I’m beat,” he replied with ease.

“Tomorrow, maybe?” Ven prompted.

“Yeah, maybe.”

“Aqua?” Ven turned his attentions on her.

“Ven, remember I _haven’t_ slept in ten years,” she said with a laugh. She chose not to dwell on it.

Ven laughed, too. “All right, all right, but you both owe me! I want to see all your new moves so I can learn how to beat them!”

“What if we packed up here and went back inside to keep talking, or played a game or something for a little while?” Aqua proposed.

Chirithy bounced. “I know lots of games! I can teach you!”

Terra grinned at the small gray spirit. “Sounds good to me.”

He rose, and Aqua sat transfixed for a moment. He was beautiful, all gilded in the golden light of sunset. Had she forgotten how tall he was? How gentle his smile could be? How blue his eyes were…

He offered her a hand to get up, and she took it, feeling the warmth of his strong hand around hers, her heart thumping against her ribs like a captive bird fluttering against the bars of a cage.

 _He’s here. He’s safe. So why do I_ still _just_ ache... _?_

Ven flung himself at the two of them, putting an arm around them both and hugging them tight. They laughed together, Terra ruffling Ven’s hair, hugging in return.

“So, what are we playing?” Ven asked from somewhere in the tangle of limbs. “Hide and seek?”

“No!” Aqua gasped, involuntarily clinging to them both a little tighter. The two of them had been just out of her grasp for so long. She gathered herself, but no, certainly no hide and seek for a while. 

They chuckled together, Aqua joining in as she relaxed. Just a game. Innocent. Then, Terra added lightly, “Ven, you shouldn’t tease Aqua like that.”

“Aw,” Ven stepped back and stretched, putting his hands behind his head in a thoughtful gesture. “Well, I’m pretty much the grand champion of Hide and Seek anyway.”

“Hey! You had a _little_ help!” Aqua prodded back. She wondered if it was, in fact, her who was the Hide and Seek grand champion.

“Chirithy, teach us a new game!” urged Ven.

Chirithy bounced, his small cape fluttering. He went on to share the rules of his proclaimed very favorite game, Chirithy Says, and launched into a spirited game.

The game was a rousing success, with the little Dream Eater proposed charming, silly tasks to be performed with a Chrithy Says direction, or ignored without. The best rounds included Ven making some truly ridiculous faces, Aqua standing on her head for a turn, and Terra hopping on one foot most of the way down the mountain path. Aqua was the first out when Chrithy directed her to hold Terra’s hand without the key Chirithy Says, as it looked like Terra was about to lose his balance. Terra took the win when Ven was instructed to give Chirithy a hug without the key words. They had all been laughing until their sides ached as they made their way back inside.

The follow-up game was Chirithy’s Castle, which was set in the library. The trio took turns using furniture, books, and other magical items to construct a structure to Chirithy’s specifications. They all worked together on the first half of the sprawling structure, but the game gradually became more central to Ven and Chirithy. Aqua got comfortable on a chaise forming an outer barricade wall, and watched Ven build while Terra seemed preoccupied with the Master’s desk, serving as a distant town marker.

Aqua found herself nodding off, and realized that Ven had not been moving around the “castle” very much. She got up to peek between the towers, and found Ven curled up in a heap of cushions. Chirithy was gently petting his spiky hair with a soft paw. “He’s very good at this game,” Chirithy said quietly.

As natural as Ven looked, Aqua couldn’t help the flicker of unease at his unconscious form.

“Hey, sleepyhead,” she said, leaning down to nudge him softly.

“Hm?” roused Ven, rubbing his eyes. 

Aqua felt silly at her relief of his waking, but let out a breath just the same. “You want to go to bed?”

“No, ‘m awake,” he mumbled, curling back on the cushion.

“I think maybe normal sleep really did catch up with you again,” she said, giving his arm a little squeeze.

Ven scrunched his face. “Maybe I could sleep,” he relented. He sat up to give Aqua a hug, which was mostly Ven just flopping forward onto her. He then picked his way out of Chirithy’s construction to give Terra a hug, too.

“See you in the morning, Ven,” said Terra, ruffling his hair.

“Yeah. We’ll spar, bright and early, right before breakfast!” 

“Yeah, we’ll see.”

Ven, perked a bit, shuffled his way toward the door.

“Sweet dreams, Ven,” wished Aqua.

Chirithy nudged Ven along, nodding to Aqua as they passed. “I’ll take care of the dreams.”

Aqua smiled. Apparently Dream Eaters were serious about their job descriptions. She turned her attention to Terra, who seemed to be studying her. “You look pretty sleepy yourself,” he observed.

“More like weary,” she replied honestly.

He grimaced. “I know what you mean. But I feel restless, too…” He stopped himself and turned to face the wall of books.

Aqua knew he was hurting, and finding the right balance between support and space was tricky. She wasn’t sure how she herself needed it yet, so Terra was probably also working that out. “I’m going to make sure Ven gets to bed,” she said, raising the end as a question.

He looked over his shoulder and gave her a small smile. “Make sure he takes his shoes off.”

She returned his smile and left the room. However, once Terra was out of sight, she second guessed if maybe she did want the company after all. Her footsteps echoed softy through the warm stone halls. She had seen these halls with their ornate designs in her memory so often during her time in the Dark, actually being back felt slightly surreal. Had she forgotten that particular alcove? Had it always been there? How could she forget? Were the walls really this soft and bright, even in the dark of night? Had she really given up hope of ever coming home? It really wasn’t her heart playing tricks, right? 

Aqua wasn’t sure how long it would take to shake that one little part of her that questioned reality; maybe it was part of her now, but maybe someday it would quiet enough so she didn’t have to stop and wonder when her friends would vanish, the walls would crumble, and she’d be in the darkness again. 

But, then she thought of the feeling of the sun on her face, the warmth of Terra’s hand, Ven’s laugh, the smell of the books in the library… Those were real. 

She popped her head into Ven’s room, cool blue in the starlight. She was comforted to see Ven there, even if she still felt some unease with his sleeping form. He was, however, unceremoniously flopped face-first on the bed, softly snoring. Chirithy was curled up in a little ball beside him. Sure enough, Ven’s shoes were still on.

Aqua made her way over and gently tugged off his shoes, then settled a blanket over him. He stirred, but slept on.

She fought the urge to wake him. She had spent so long thinking about the need to wake Ven, that his sleep was unnatural, that he needed her, that it still didn’t feel quite right to leave him sleeping.

Chirithy blinked up at her with tiny blue eyes. “It’s okay, I’m looking after him.”

Had Ven needed a Dream Eater for all those years? Surely there were scary, dark moments in Sora’s adventures and in Roxas and Xion’s adventures, too, as those memories filtered in and out of each others’ intertwined hearts. There was heartache. There were nightmares. 

And Chirithy seemed to be bonded to Ven. Was it that Ven needed another pair of eyes on his dreams, if only to make sure he didn’t get lost in them again? Or was it something else?

“Chirithy, did you know Ventus before he came to live with us?” Aqua asked quietly.

Chirithy had curled back up next to Ven, soft paws under his cheek, and was either asleep or feigning it, ignoring her question.

She watched them for a moment, feeling torn. She wanted to watch over Ven, but at the same time, watching him sleep still made her unaccountably anxious. Accepting Chirithy’s word as a helpful spirit, with reservation, she turned and made her way back to the library.

Reason said Terra would be fine, but her sense of unease pushed her forward. She felt a little silly taking quick steps through the hall, but she continued her fast pace, impatient to see him.

Of course, Terra was still there, having pushed some of the larger pieces of furniture back into place, and was perusing some books. The small relief bought other fond memories of the library, of long hours of companionship, and of Master Eraqus studying at his desk, so wise and kind. She had enjoyed studying magical texts -- there were certainly times she and Terra had assignments when she just wanted to shove the books aside, take her keyblade in hand and take on the world, but she also found reward in the keyblade wielder lore of old, in learning techniques, of reading the words of other masters (other _women_ masters), their challenges and triumphs. She’d dreamed of her future as a keyblade wielder and seen herself in their words. 

She had never dreamed of the events that ultimately transpired.

Coming back to the present, Aqua watched Terra alternate between restless movement and a still, uncharacteristically pensive posture. His jaw was set, shoulders up, motions sharp. 

She eased into the room and Terra froze.

“Do you want to be alone?” she asked gently, directly.

He let out a breath and was quiet for a moment, thinking, staring at the book in his hands. “I’m not sure,” he eventually answered. He struggled through his thoughts aloud. “In… some ways… it’s a relief that the only voice in my head is my own. But it’s strange. And it’s not the same thing as being alone.”

Strange. Aching and shocking familiarity. Forced isolation and bound connection. How were they supposed to deal with all of this?

“I can go?” she offered. She really didn’t want to go.

He turned to face her, the depth in his blue eyes striking. A request, a plea: “Stay.”

She gave him a soft smile as she crossed the room, taking a seat at the window. It had been a favorite spot when the Master used to read to them as children. The cool night breeze wafted the curtains, carrying the sound of peepers, smelling of mountain air, of green grass, of life. The sky was so bright with stars. Had she forgotten the true appearance of stars? She took in the gentle twinkle, the swirls of color of distant nebula, the hearts of worlds, the connections between herself, her friends, the past, the present, the future. The darkness of night stirred memories, but when she watched the sky, it truthfully felt nothing like the Realm of Darkness.

The warm light of the library chased away shadows. Terra was here, returned, in body, mind, heart, and spirit, if hurting terribly. She wanted to fling her arms around him, bury her face against him, never let him go, but she wasn’t sure if he was ready for the depths of her emotion; she wasn’t sure if _she_ was ready for that, but the night air seemed to whisper of life, of surprising possibility, and a welcome recovery before the dawn.

She smiled, turning her attention back to the library. “Ven’s asleep,” she said. “It was all I could do not to wake him again. Silly, isn’t it?” She tried to shake herself out of her musings.

“I don’t think so,” Terra reassured her.

“I know it’s just normal sleep. But…”

“Maybe you should get some sleep, too?” He was being as gentle with her as she was with him. She appreciated it.

“Soon,” she replied, watching Terra shift another scroll. “Are you looking for something?”

“Familiarity,” he admitted. “Something of myself, maybe. But I never did understand how the Master kept the library organized.”

She uncurled herself from the window seat and went to stand next to him, taking a look at the scroll in his hands. _Orbs of Light_. Her heart thudded in her chest as she remembered their exam. Terra stood frozen, staring blankly at the document with distant eyes, undoubtedly lost in memory. 

“The Master did have his own way of doing things,” she said as carefully as she could while she perused the shelf. When Terra looked up again, she pointed to a spot where she believed the scroll went. A thought crept up that now no one knew the library better than she did, and the pain of loss caught her by surprise.

“I miss him,” Terra said, a wavering edge in his voice, attempting to be controlled. “I know he’s been gone a long time, but his absence feels so fresh here.”

Aqua took a steadying breath, too, nodding once. “Do you mean here...?” she gestured around the library, at the texts and the desk, “or here?” taking a step forward and tapping her fingertip lightly to his chest.

He took her hand in his and held it against his chest. She felt his warmth, his breath, the steady beat of his heart. “Both. Well… the first, I guess. He’ll always be in all our hearts.”

She slipped her hand away, feeling a little overwhelmed, turning back to the shelf. “Speaking of sharing hearts, I wonder if Ven will still dream of Sora’s adventures?”

“We could ask,” Terra replied. “Roxas, Xion, Sora and Ven are all their own people now, but I wonder if the bond will last anyway. Sharing a heart for so long might leave lingering connections.” Aqua glanced back at Terra and looked troubled. She felt the urge to throw herself into his arms again, and was considering her response when Terra continued, “In some ways, I hope Ven can just dream normal dreams for a change.”

“And what did you dream about when you were Ven’s age?” 

Terra quirked a smile. “Oh, heroic deeds. Rescuing princesses. Saving worlds. The usual.”

“From what I gather, that sounds a lot like Sora’s adventures anyway.”

Terra chucked. “You have a point.”

“Yours, too.” 

Terra shifted, eyes downcast, frowning. “Not all of them.”

“Terra,” she began, her voice earnest. “You did do good. And everyone we met out there, all those years ago, they’re all okay. The worlds are safe.”

“No thanks to me. It all went wrong so fast. That first world when this all started, I still can’t believe…”

“Aurora is safe. And happy.”

“Is she?” His eyes looked haunted. “That’s good. I’m glad somebody cleaned up my mess.”

Aqua knew he was hurting, but he hadn’t shut her out or made for the door yet. “I think Phillip would have braved any challenge for Aurora.”

“Who’s Phillip?”

“The prince who broke the spell on her. They met in the forest and fell in love before either of them knew they were already betrothed. He told me while we were escaping that only true love’s kiss could break the Maleficent’s curse. His love saved her.”

“Until she was used as a Light, and her world was cast into darkness.”

“I saw her world in the Realm of Darkness before it was restored. All those worlds were restored, Terra, by Sora, and, and, in a way, by Ven. I saw him there in Enchanted Dominion. I saw you,” Aqua said softly.

“Was that real?” Their eyes locked across the desk and time seemed to freeze again.

“I was going to ask you the same thing.” Her heartbeat sounded loud in her ears. How many times had she imagined him in that space without time? She felt like she was losing her mind far too often, but knowing that even one of those meetings, one of those whispers might have been real...

Terra’s astonishment melted away into a beautiful, sad smile. “I told you, Aqua, you always lit my way in the dark.”

Aqua felt her face warm and tears prickle at the corners of her eyes. 

Terra looked away, back down at the books on the Master’s desk. “I’m glad it worked out. I just wish I could have been more help, instead of part of the problem.”

“You’re not to blame, Terra. You told me yourself, Xehanort manipulated you. He used you against your will.”

He flinched. “One of many paths.”

“What’s that?”

“What he said to me, in here.” He gestured to his chest. “That stealing my life, making me a prisoner in my own mind, using my strength to hurt others, even those I would’ve rather died than harm, was just one of many paths towards his goal.”

“But in the end, _you_ were the one who carried our last hope to stop him.”

Terra’s breath hitched, then let it out in a heavy sigh. After a moment, he picked up an armful of books, and handed half to Aqua. “So Aurora is okay now, huh?”

She adjusted to the tonal shift as they crossed paths to shelve books. “Yes. The Good Fairies visit Yen Sid, and they said Phillip and Aurora are well, and happy. Snow White and Cinderella, too.” 

“That’s good.”

“I thought you’d want to know. Cinderella in particular. Since, you know… you liked her,” Aqua added in a curiously nonchalant tone as she shelved a book. She watched for Terra’s reaction out of the corner of her eye.

“I… wha…” The swift sequence of expressions across Terra’s face was downright comical; innocent confusion, consternation, and finally suspicion. “Aqua, are you _teasing_ me?”

She kept her face straight. “What? No! Would I do that?”

“Yeah, you would!”

She let out her laugh. “I guess I would.”

“Maybe you’d better get some rest after all, if you’re muddled enough to think that I had a crush on Cinderella.”

“Then you won’t be upset to hear that she married her prince.”

“Why would I be upset that she finally has someone to care about her who isn’t a rodent? Uh… no offense to the King.”

“I won’t tell,” Aqua assured him conspiratorially.

“He did seem… good enough for her, didn’t he?” asked Terra thoughtfully.

“The Prince? Yes, he seemed kind, and sweet, and very smitten.”

Terra nodded, seemingly satisfied.

Aqua let out a great involuntary yawn, and edged back toward the window seat. “Who else did we both meet?”

“We can finish comparing notes in the morning. But from the sound of things, I’m going to guess that everyone found true love and lived happily ever after. Well, maybe not Peter?”

“I think Peter already found his true love.”

Terra mulled this over a moment. “... the freedom of youth?”

Aqua laughed as she settled onto the window cushion. “I was thinking the pixie, but you’re probably right. And I’m not sure about our little blue alien friend. I hope he found his family. We’ll have to ask.”

“Ask tomorrow. Go get some sleep,” he said gently.

She ran her hands over her face. She was tired, and the truth was easier to admit. “I want to sleep. But…” 

Terra took a few steps closer. “What’s wrong?”

She took a breath. “When I came in and asked if you wanted to be alone...?”

Terra nodded. 

“Turns out… I’m the one who really doesn’t want to be alone. When you or Ven are out of my sight, I feel like there’s a cold hand on my heart, like I’m never going to find you again. I’m sitting here worried about Ven, even though I _know_ he’s okay. And I’m worried about you. I think it will get better with time, but… if you don’t mind, for now? I’d like to just... curl up here and rest for a bit while you sort the Master’s things.”

Terra came next to the window, and his features were once again beautifully melancholy. “You could, but this drafty old window seat is no place for you to sleep.” He offered his hand. “Come on,” he beckoned.

She automatically placed her hand in his, then asked, “Where…?”

“My room,” replied Terra. “Your bed is too short for me, remember?”

She blushed as he helped her to her feet, simultaneously feeling she was standing too close to Terra and also not close enough. She remembered years of Terra, and later, Terra and Ven, bounding into her room at all hours, for a meteor shower, or for a special breakfast, or just bouncing on her bed to wake her in the morning. She did her share of bed crashing, too, though. But she remembered that, when he stretched out, Terra’s feet had dangled off the edge of her mattress since he was Ven’s age. 

They walked together in quiet companionship, though when they passed her room, Aqua gave Terra’s hand a quick squeeze and said she’d follow in a minute. Curling up in Terra’s bed was… not something she had anticipated, and she was decidedly trying not to overthink it. She took a breath to calm her fluttering heart and racing mind. 

She was tired. She realized hadn’t felt this particular sensation of tiredness for a long time. With no cycles of daylight and no sense of time, the Realm of Darkness had not afforded proper rest. She had tried a routine of sleep at first, finding secluded spots, closing her eyes, but found sleep elusive. With the threat of the Heartless, it was just as well that she hadn’t required the vulnerability, and with only her imagination for company, she had come to wonder how sleep would be any different from waking anyway. She had switched to periods of meditation, of trying to quiet her mind from her own thoughts. She didn’t know for how long. And then, eventually, she would press on, looking for a way back to the Realm of Light, looking for a way back to help Ven and Terra.

Terra, who was now welcoming her into his bed. 

_To Sleep,_ she reminded herself as she felt her flushed skin. Genuine sleep would be a welcome luxury. 

She wouldn’t mind changing out of her corset and remaining armor pieces, though. No use stabbing holes in the sheets with her shoes.

Strange, how the articles of clothing had become almost a part of her after all this time. In some ways, she felt very wrong catching sight of herself in the mirror wearing so few layers. The lines and the colors were all wrong, and her reflection was another person staring back at her. But did darkness cling to the clothing, to her body, to her soul?

She looked around her room in the starlight and was again shocked with the familiarity. Her books, maps and telescope, her bright quilt of stars and flowers, her plush otter, her jeweled trunk at the foot of her bed. She opened it; the scent of cedar warm and full of memory. She pulled out an old soft nightgown with fluttery sleeves and slipped it on, hugging herself. 

As she turned to go, she caught sight of her desk, covered with neat piles of metal and colored glass, scraps from making the Wayfinders from the last night before… everything.

She turned and made her way toward Terra’s room.

The scene was as if from a distant fantasy she’d allowed herself. She found him leaning against his windowsill, armor removed, gazing out at the stars, outlined in soft light. He turned to her, and she pictured herself racing into his arms. Instead, she surprisingly found herself rooted to the doorway.

“We used to do this all the time when we were little,” he said gently, as though to set her at ease, and possibly himself, as well. 

She remembered that, too. When they had both wanted the same storybook, they would curl up under the blankets with a light spell. She’d scold Terra for turning the pages too fast when she wanted to keep looking at the pictures and he was too excited to find out what happened next. After they both fell asleep, the Master would come and carry her to her own room; sometimes she’d wake up curled against his chest, smelling bitter tea, or when he tucked the blankets around her and laid a gentle hand on her hair.

They’d stopped this ritual sometime around when Terra got so tall, without comment or ceremony. Terra would simply choose a different book at bedtime; if she expressed interest in the one he picked, he’d hand it over to her, or they would stay up a little later to read together in the study.

“We’re not so little anymore,” observed Aqua, giving voice to their changed lives.

Terra glanced downward, but then slowly swept his eyes back up to hers. “No, we’re not.” Terra agreed. 

Even if she and Terra had a lot to work through, and even if it took time, it helped to know they were going to work through it together. 

She moved forward, padding over to his bed and turning down the blanket. “I didn’t bring a storybook.” 

“I’ll tell you one from memory then. Once upon a time…” 

She smiled as she slipped in among the sheets, the pillow giving off a clean scent that smelled of Terra, faintly of wood and citrus. He settled on top of the covers next to her, very close indeed, their heads together on the pillow, hands nearby. Did he look older? It was imperceptible in his features, but his eyes held more depth. His eyelashes remained impossibly long.

“Once upon a time,” Terra repeated, voice deep and quiet, “there was a girl who lived with her teacher and her two best friends, and they all loved each other very much…”

“I think I know this story. Does it have a happy ending?”

“Don’t know, haven’t finished it yet. It has some sad parts, but I promise I’ll stop somewhere good.”

She felt a little chill among the still-cool sheets. “Won’t you be cold?”

“Doubt it.”

Terra had always run a little warmer than her. She remembered countless cold mornings of combat training, when he’d hold her fingers between his palms to warm them during the Master’s instructions between bouts.

She curled into his warmth, snuggling down to press her forehead against his solid chest, allowing a few hot tears to escape. 

“Tell me this is real,” she whispered.

She felt one of Terra’s arms come around her, the comforting weight of the blanket and of Terra’s arm, and she felt his cheek against the top of her head.

“Well,” he began, his voice cracking. She felt some wetness against her hair, the movement of his jaw. He cleared his throat, and she felt the vibration of his voice in his chest. “My dreams were never this nice when I was lost in the dark.”

She pressed her eyes shut. “Neither were mine.”

“So this must be real, right?”

She found Terra’s hand on the blanket and held it tight. His fingers intertwined with hers and rested snug between their hearts.

* * *

Terra had been lulled by Aqua’s slow, steady breaths of sleep. She was warm and soft and still against him, and he was glad she’d found rest. He hoped the long sweep of his arm and torso around her helped her feel as protected from the dark as she made him feel, curled against his chest, a barrier of protective light in front of his heart.

Deep sleep was elusive, but even the quiet period of meditative rest was welcoming. Dark thoughts receded to the edges of his mind, and he found a bit of calm, for a time.

He was roused as Aqua shifted against him, making a small, sleepy sound of discontent. She twitched again, a sharper jerk. She then pushed away from him, back arched, and thrashed her head from side to side. 

A nightmare.

Terra started to wake her, moving his hand up toward her shoulder.

A horrible, intrusive flash of his own struck across his memory: his own hand slowly, almost casually tightening around her slim neck, lifting her entire body off her feet with one arm, watching her squirm; fighting, clawing, crying out…

Terra recoiled, feeling sick. Bitter anger, revulsion, and shame washed over him as he balled his fist, taking a ragged breath.

_That’s not you. It was him. You would never. That’s not now. You’re in control. She needs you. Help her._

Terra uncurled his shaking fingers and ever-so-lightly pressed his palm to Aqua’s shoulder.

“Aqua,” he said, his voice rough, shocking in the darkness. She made another sound of distress and twitched again.

“ _Aqua_ ,” he said louder, clearer, more insistent. He willed her to open her eyes, to wake up, to be okay, _please be okay, please be here with me right now._

Her eyes shot open and she gasped, a long, deep breath, sputtering, her hands clinging to the material of his shirt, and gulped lungfuls of air.

He watched recognition come to her eyes and felt her body relax as she looked around. She curled back tight against him, whispering his name, and he ran his hand along her back through the blanket.

“It’s okay,” he murmured, comforting. “It was a nightmare. You’re safe, Aqua. You’re here with me, you’re home. I’ve got you.” 

He felt her face against his chest, and she squeezed her arm against his side, wrapping her hand around to his back. Her breath calmed, and she whispered again, “I was dreaming about the darkness.”

“It can’t hurt you now,” he whispered back.

Could he take his own advice? The gnawing concerns crept back to his consciousness, of failures, of fears, of loss. The very real waking nightmares he had endured left a pain and uncertainty that felt a lot like darkness, and it scared him. After all this time, had he truly made no progress from when he sought control? If he sought the power to crush the darkness from himself, wasn’t that, in itself, a darkness? But if he gave in to the fear, let the pain wash over him as it threatened to do, he felt he’d be swallowed alive again, a dark, lost heart. While Xehanort was gone, what lasting damage had been done? Divided into smaller and smaller portions, a decade of fighting, of being held prisoner in his own body, how _couldn’t_ his heart be left damaged, tainted by darkness? While he was free now, would he fall to being his own dark enemy?

Terra shook himself and took a steadying breath. If these were the concerns that plagued his waking hours, sleep would surely be a welcome respite, but he loathed to see the nightmares that awaited. But he must eventually come to some kind of peace. Even if there was corruption in his heart, he also knew, without a doubt, there was light. And even if he wavered, even when he lost, he had a lot of experience strengthening his light with the memory and support of the ones he loved. 

Aqua remained curled in his arms, pressed against his chest. She had the bravery to let go and risk facing the unknown of sleep. She was his light in the darkness, and the least he could do was be strong for her when _she_ needed _him._

“Nightmares are a lot less scary in the light of day,” Terra murmured against her hair. “You can tell me about it in the morning, if you want.”

She rolled away a little, settling on her back, her shoulder still warm against his chest. She took slow breaths in and out, and nodded.

“You could sleep more?” he offered.

“Easy to say.”

“Don’t make me cast Sleep on you.”

She turned her head to give him a skeptical look, which softened into a smile. Her eyes were luminous in the starlight. “ _You_? Cast Sleep? On _me_?” The edges of her smile wavered, and she couldn’t suppress a giggle.

“Hey! I know you’re the stronger mage, but I know what I’m doing.”

She reached up with a cool, delicate hand and stroked it along his temple. He closed his eyes at her touch.

“It’s not your magic,” she clarified kindly, “It’s your hair. It’s a _mess._ ”

Well, he’d probably rather have her impugn his bedhead than his hard earned magic skills. In fact, he’d highly consider messing it up more often if it got her to keep running her fingers through his hair.

A blink of an eye ago, the improbable scenario of Aqua, beautiful, talented, beloved Aqua, curled next to him in his own bed, in his own restored body, giving him comfortable caresses was unfathomable. He allowed himself a passing moment to wonder about other unfathomable things; of a pure heart, of worth, of passions.

He let out a steadying breath. “I, um…” he cleared his throat. “You might… if you want to get more sleep, I was thinking you might want to go back to your room. Ven will probably be in here at the crack of dawn.”

“Ah. Good point.” Her hand stilled, and he reached up to give it a small squeeze.

“I’ll sit with you until you fall asleep again,” he said, reassuring. Sit, as he didn’t fit in her bed, after all.

She sat up and brought her hand to her cheek. Was she covering a blush? “I’m sorry to keep you up. I know I’m being foolish…” she began.

“Please,” he said gently. “I think I needed this too. I just didn’t know how to ask.”

She smiled over her shoulder, then slipped out of bed, fabric swishing softly. The sight of her, sleepy and disheveled as she left his bed, was affecting. He felt flushed, acutely aware that they were far from the innocent, happy days of childhood when they could giggle with the blanket pulled up over their heads and fall asleep on their storybook. 

_But how could she ever think of you like that, after everything you put her through? You’re lucky she trusts you, forgives you, still loves you at all…_

And yet, she paused with an open hand, waiting for him to join her. He interlaced his fingers with hers and they padded quietly together toward the hall.

Master Eraqus had undoubtedly had his hands full with the two of them. At some point when Terra had realized how attractive he found Aqua, he suddenly required colder showers after sparring sessions. A disciplined approach helped, throwing himself into practice, into study, into making himself a worthy Keyblade Master. 

For all the good that had done.

When they arrived at Aqua’s room, she settled on the edge of her bed, hands folded in her lap, looking pensive.

“What is it?”

Aqua seemed to resolve her reluctance, and asked, “When are you going to tell Ven you don’t want to spar with him?”

Terra cringed. “Is it that obvious?”

“To him? Apparently not.”

Terra couldn’t keep putting Ven off forever, but the thought of raising his keyblade against him, even in a faux battle, wasn’t something he could handle right now. In fact, he was a little surprised the keyblade still even came to his hand when he summoned it.

_You’re not worthy. You’re going to freeze up when it counts. You’re a danger to your friends. You shouldn’t even have a keyblade. You’re a failure._

Terra angrily attempted to shove the nastier thoughts to the edges of his mind again, recognizing the fear giving them voice. He knew the truth that he _could_ call the keyblade and he _did_ save his friends and he _had_ overcome in the end, but it didn’t make his recent struggles any less difficult. He felt frustrated.

“I’ll tell him when I have to, I guess,” Terra replied. “I don’t want to hurt his feelings.” 

“He’ll understand,” said Aqua gently.

“He won’t. But he’ll try to.” His friends had to put up with so much from him.

“I’m trying to. But I know you’d never hurt him.”

Terra sputtered, “Never? _Never?_ ” Shame coursed through him, and he paced the length of her carpet.

“Terra, it wasn’t _you_.”

“ _Believe me, I know that._ ” The words came out far too harshly, and he saw Aqua recoil.

He felt as though he’d misfired a shockingly powerful ice spell. 

He fell to his knees in front of her, taking her hands in his and leaning forward to put his forehead against her knees.

“I’m sorry,” he choked out, voice cracking. “It’s just too hard.” Even he wasn’t sure whether he meant specifically about Ven or about his situation as a whole.

He felt her release one of his hands and then gently stroke his hair. This continued for a moment, calming, then she continued, “I guess until you can be a little kinder to yourself, Ven and I will make up for it.”

Terra felt this to be a kindness he didn’t deserve, but he recognized that was the very point Aqua was making. He raised his head, and the edges of his vision were a little blurry with unshed tears. “You’ve always been kind,” he said softly.

She squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry I upset you.”

He squeezed back. “Please don’t be sorry. It’s all just… beneath the surface. I’m trying. Maybe bringing it up is best. But only a little at a time, you know?”

“I know.” They were quiet for a moment, holding hands in the dim room, starlight twinkling on glass and crystal and outlining Aqua’s form. 

“Do you want me to talk to Ven in the morning?” Aqua offered, voice soft.

“No, I can do it. But thank you. How about you, are you okay? Can you sleep?”

“I’m… okay. I’m tired. I can try.” 

Aqua shifted back onto the bed, tucking her legs under her covers, curling on her side to face him. Terra shifted into a seated position, his side against the bed, elbow cushioned atop the blanket and head resting on his arm. He reached his free hand up to hold her hand again.

Aqua studied his face for a moment. “Terra?”

“Hm?”

“I love you.”

A gentle statement of fact as she rested comfortably, reaffirming truths they already knew through words and actions. Perhaps not romantic actions, or perhaps not yet, but their bond was already so deep in his very being that it had literally sustained him and saved him from the depths of darkness. It was too much to ask for her to do it again as he worked through the aftermath, but he knew she would support him without question. 

And oh, what he wouldn’t give to undo the trials she’d been through, to ease her troubles, to remove the heaviness in her heart related to him and anything else bothering her. He’d quiet his demons and be there for her, to right wrongs and to fight darkness, for her and by her side, whenever he could. He’d comfort her when she was sad or afraid, but then to be there to see her happy, to smile and laugh, to learn, to help her overcome and achieve and succeed. Terra, somewhat overwhelmed, cradled her hand to his cheek.

“I know. I love you, too.”

Aqua smiled at him, the simple words sounding untold depths, and closed her eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

The early reddish-orange light of dawn warmed the Land of Departure as Ventus came to a sliding stop in his socks in front of Terra’s room. He hopped on one foot as he put on one of his shoes, only to notice the room was vacant. Terra’s bed was even neatly made, which was unusual. 

Ven paused and ran down the mental list of places Terra could be. He could already be out for practice, though Ven found he was usually the one getting things started. He could have fallen asleep in the study, maybe, that had happened a few times. He could be having breakfast, though they all usually did that together. Ven frowned. Maybe “together” was different now, with the Master gone. But they had each other, and maybe things could get back to a new kind of normal.

He made his way down the hallway, struggling with his other shoe, and craned his head around the open door of Aqua’s room. She was still sleeping, a tuft of blue hair at the top of the covers, missing the rainbows that her suncatchers painted on the walls in the morning sunlight. 

Aqua had taken such good care of him while he slept, the least he could do was let her rest a while; at least for today, anyway.

He felt his pace picking up as he skipped up to the front door, throwing it open to let in the cool morning air. A new day--a day to be awake and alive and active! And there in the middle of the forecourt was Terra.

However, Terra wasn’t practicing his keyblade forms. He knelt, quiet, still, and meditative, his back to Ven, facing the dawn. 

Ven’s gaze skewed upward, toward the memorial they’d set up for Master Eraqus at the mountain summit. Meditating during sunrise had been the Master’s daily practice, and while he’d always left an open invitation for his students to join him in the quiet morning period, he was content to let them develop their own practice at a time that otherwise worked for them. Ven didn’t love meditation, but didn’t entirely hate it, either. He’d sometimes found a quiet time early in the afternoon or late at night that was okay, but he found the mornings too busy. He’d succeeded only sparingly with traditional meditation. He had been okay at sitting still, but his mind tended to wander and he didn’t like keeping his eyes closed. He idly wondered if he’d be better or worse at it now as he approached Terra at a calmer pace.

“Morning, Ven,” said Terra, remaining still, only turning his head when Ven came next to him. Terra gave him a crooked smile.

“Hey, Terra. Sorry to interrupt?”

“It’s okay. Thought I’d give this a try.”

“How’d it go?”

“Uh, not sure. It’s… quiet, but that makes things seem louder. But I think that’s part of the point. It’s kinda weird? I’ll keep trying, I guess.” Terra made his way to his feet, doing a few extra stretches to get himself moving again, and turned his attention back to Ven. “So where’s Chirithy this morning?” 

“Sort of grumpy, maybe?” When Ven had woken up, Chirithy was standing at the end of his bed, staring at an unfixed point out the window. He didn’t seem mad at Ven or the surroundings, but he seemed aloof, out of sorts.

“Not a morning spirit?” asked Terra.

“It’s not that. I can’t seem to remember any dreams at all, so maybe he was busy. Or maybe he’s a little off at you and Aqua?”

Terra looked taken aback. “What? What did we do?”

“He didn’t really explain. I figured maybe he needed more rest or something.”

“Whatever I did, I’ll apologize.”

“We’ll figure it out,” said Ven, waving his hand dismissively. He took his last wave wide, summoning his keyblade, crouching down into a ready position. “So are you ready for a bout?”

Terra gave a tired smile, eyes downcast. “Ven, I…”

“You still don’t feel like it,” Ven finished, trying to conceal his disappointment.

“...I’m happy to train with you, I just…”

“You don’t think I’m up for it?” The question came out a bit more petulant than intended, but between Aqua’s gentle hovering and Terra’s gentle dismissals, he was a little tired of being handled with kid gloves. “I’m _fine_ , Terra, I’m not just a little kid that needs protecting all the time.”

Terra put a hand on Ven’s shoulder, the size difference not helping him make his point. “Ventus, just listen, okay?” Terra’s tone was kindly but serious, and Ven afforded the attention. “It isn’t that I don’t think you’re ready, and I’m sorry I’m making you feel that way. I know how much you’ve grown. You’re brave and skilled and I’m so, _so_ proud of you. You’re a great keyblade wielder and you’re going to be a great keyblade master.” Terra paused and smiled, a warm glow breaking through before cloudier emotions moved back in.

“Ven, _I’m_ the one who isn’t up for it.” Terra continued, his voice catching, breath coming a little faster. “You know how… how Master Xehanort fought you, when he was… was part of me? And fought Aqua, too, before… before she…”

Ven felt Terra’s grip tighten a little on his shoulder for support as he lost his composure. Ven, still loosely holding his keyblade, tossed it to the grass and threw his arms tight around Terra’s middle.

“Terra, I’m _so_ sorry. I didn’t know. I didn’t _think…_ ”

Of _course_ Terra wouldn’t want to fight him. The other day during the fight with white-haired Terra, Ven had lapsed into a bit of adrenaline and habit; there wasn’t exactly time to work out entirely what was wrong. All those people from his dreams with Terra’s face… he knew Master Xehanort had manipulated hearts, but they really weren’t just his mind filling in the gaps. He knew Terra had been through an ordeal, but thinking through what that really meant for Terra… Ven hugged him tighter.

“It’s okay. Everything’s okay now,” said Terra, ruffling Ven’s hair. Ven wondered if Terra was reassuring himself, too. 

“Yeah. It’s okay,” Ven agreed, stepping back, giving Terra an encouraging grin. 

Terra looked a bit more relaxed again. “I want to get better. I’m gonna depend on you to show me the way, all right?” 

Ven nodded. Of course he’d do anything for Terra. 

“And like I said, we can still train together.”

Ven retrieved his keyblade. He flashed on a memory of Terra’s wooden practice blade. “I’d like that.”

Terra held out his hand and summoned his own keyblade, looking a little like a far bigger and more grown-up version of his old practice blade. He dropped down, holding the blade at the ready. “Defensive stances?”

Ven mirrored the posture, getting ready to move through the forms. “Let’s go.”

* * *

Aqua came back to consciousness feeling disoriented. She was in her own soft bed, with bright prismatic rainbows drifting across the pillow, and her first fleeting instinct was to distrust her senses. But no, she really was back in the Land of Departure, memories from the previous day filtering through her sleep-fogged mind. She’d fallen asleep next to Terra…

Aqua sat up abruptly, suddenly aware that she was very much alone. Her chest clenched, a lurking panic that this really _was_ all a trick of her mind. She looked to the spot where Terra had been, and breath shudderingly returned.

There on the floor was a small droplet of amber glass, the match to Terra’s Wayfinder. She recognized the shape, a remnant from her workbench when she had melded the sand and minerals with magic. She knew it had been purposefully placed.

As she leaned over to pick up the amber droplet, the sound of laughter drifted up to her window. She crossed the room and pushed the pane open wide, letting in warm light and fresh dewy air. She saw her boys and filled her lungs. Terra and Ven were practicing, or, rather, it looked like Ven was showing off with his keyblade and Terra was giving him pointers. She folded her arms against the windowsill and watched them for a moment, sheer relief giving way to gentle affection.

After a moment, Ven caught sight of Aqua at the window and gave an excited wave. Terra followed, and she waved back. Ven continued with an exaggerated gesture for eating, to which Terra shook his head; evidently he was volunteering to make breakfast. Ven shrugged and Terra ruffled his hair. 

Smiling, Aqua stepped back from the window, leaving it wide to air out the room. The cool blues, purples and pinks, the delicate white laces and shiny crystals and metals felt soft and cheerful in the light. But it also almost didn’t feel like _her_ room anymore. It felt a bit like she was visiting the room of someone else, though she liked that person very much. 

She made her way behind her star-patterned folding screen, called a water spell to fill her great white claw-foot tub, and cast a fire spell to heat it. The hot bath looked incredibly inviting as she undressed, but when it actually came time to submerge herself in the water, she found herself struggling. Memories of viscous, icy black water lapped at the edges of her mind. As she settled in the bath, she strained her ears to hear Terra and Ven’s voices through the window, grasped the amber glass drop tightly in her palm, and let the chill in her bones warm with the water and the comforts of the present. 

Later, dressed, wet tips of hair brushing against her cheeks and smelling lightly of water lilies, she came across Ven and Terra reentering the castle, somewhat breathless from their exercises. Ven was apparently single-mindedly focused on breakfast.

“I think I’ll start with some porridge and then a couple of eggs, and sausages, do we have any sausages…?”

“You’re going to have to wait for me to wash up if I’m going to cook you all that,” said Terra, pausing to appraise Ven. “That wouldn’t be a bad idea for you, either.”

Ven’s cheeks were exceptionally pink. “What? I barely broke a sweat!” 

Terra nonchalantly raised his keyblade and cast a water spell directly at Ven. Aqua giggled as Ven stood in the doorway, dripping, arms out to his sides and eyes wide.

“That… actually felt kinda good.” Ven grinned, working through his surprise.

“If only there was a soap spell,” lamented Terra.

Ven turned to Aqua expectantly.

Aqua stifled her giggle enough to consider this. “Well, sort of, but it’s much more effort than actually using soap.”

Ven affected a dramatic sigh. “ _Fine._ But you better not eat all the sausages before I get down to the kitchen!” He squelched off, leaving a trail of puddles.

Aqua was then very aware of her sudden privacy with Terra, and the exact number of steps between them.

He turned and gave her a gentle smile, his voice soft, “Good morning.”

Aqua felt the light flutter of her heart again as she met his gaze. The night had held a certain emotional transparency between them that she still felt, even in the warm morning light. She’d told him she loved him, and she meant that--obviously, she always had, and she’d love him no matter what, as a best friend. But words perhaps failed to convey that she also wished to demonstrate her affections as a lover, to wrap her arms around him, bury her fingers in his hair, feel his lips on hers, to feel him against her…

She considered perhaps she, too, needed a water spell, perhaps was feeling _too_ emotionally transparent, and was perhaps still too recently returned to the Realm of Light. Her feelings for Terra weren’t exactly new, but she also wanted to be sure within herself that she wasn’t now just seeking to fill a lingering void of loneliness with an equally emotionally vulnerable… exceptionally handsome, tender, valiant companion, who she’d always loved.

She felt the amber droplet in her hand and cleared her throat. “Good morning. Thank you for this,” she said, holding out her palm, showing him the glass. It was perhaps a simpler way of thanking him for his comfort in the night, as well, and any he saw fit to provide going forward.

Terra seemed pleased. “I was going to leave you a note, but I couldn’t find any paper.” He took a step toward her, and her breath caught slightly. Terra paused, a flush coloring his cheeks, and continued a bit apologetically. “I smell bad. I’m going to go… stop smelling bad.”

She grinned, blushing as well. “I’ll get the porridge started,” she replied, thankful for the out. She’d have to work through this, and a morning battle with the enchanted pantry might help her refocus.

The kitchen was a cavernous room on the ground floor, clearly designed to prepare food for a great many more than four people. Or three people, as it were, and a Dream Eater, if Dream Eaters ate things other than nightmares.

Their favorite small table remained in the sunniest nook in the kitchen, near a cabinet with their favorite utensils and a small stove set up next to the pantry. Aqua filled the stove from the neighboring wood box that was curiously never empty and lit it with a spell.

The pantry was another curiosity; a conjuring cabinet that provided ingredients from thin air upon request. But like many magical artifacts, it had acquired a mind of its own over the years. Eraqus had sometimes gotten on its bad side, slamming the door when he’d spent all his patience on his children and had none to spare for its eccentricities. Aqua recalled a stretch of days when it had given them nothing but oddly shaped potatoes and exotic fruits, no matter what one asked for. Terra had learned to fish in the mountain stream, and she had started gathering and drying herbs.

The cabinet usually had a soft spot for Terra, like a doting grandmother filling the plate of a growing boy. Aqua too could sometimes get away with specific instructions if she was patient and spoke very sweetly. She laid a fond hand on the wood, fingertips tracing the familiar scrollwork patterns.

“Good morning. Breakfast for three, please. Porridge, eggs, and sausage. Milk, and half a dozen oranges, if you could,” she requested politely.

Aqua opened the pantry door, and the shelves were totally bare. The years of disuse had either dimmed the magic, or the pantry was deliberately punishing her for being ignored. Aqua closed the door.

“Please, none of us _wanted_ to be away so long.”

When she opened the door again, a singular egg rolled toward her. She caught it, set it on the table, and closed the door again. She tried another tactic, explaining that Terra was probably _starving_. This time, she found a full bowl of a dozen eggs. She continued to wheedle the cabinet, managing some oranges and eventually the rice meal for the porridge. It seemed that sausages were simply beyond the limit.

Aqua let the cabinet sulk and and took to preparing the porridge, adding a twist of orange peel and a scoop of sugar, just the way Ven liked it. The porridge was simmering and she was making orange juice when a freshly scrubbed Ven appeared in the kitchen. He surveyed the table, picking up one of the spent orange peels to suck on the pulp. His disappointment in the lack of sausages was palpable.

Terra joined them shortly thereafter, and gave the pantry a gentle tap to ask for a sausage for Ven. When they still had no luck, he took over cooking the eggs, just as promised. Ven took to consuming an absurd amount of porridge.

Aqua enjoyed her breakfast thoroughly, savoring every flavor. As with not needing sleep, she had never needed to eat in the Realm of Darkness, which was just as well, as there was not much to be had. She had occasionally considered scavenging in the fallen worlds, but since she ultimately had not felt hungry, she decided not to risk the potential of dark magic. Back in the Realm of Light, every bite of food, every taste, every texture, was a fascinating luxury. 

When she finished, she put on the few remaining eggs to hard boil for when Ven was inevitably hungry again in an hour. Terra had been relatively quiet, but smiled at them and seemed to be in a good mood. Ven miraculously volunteered to wash the dishes, and the three of them lingered in kitchen, enjoying the familiar surroundings and one another’s company.

Eventually, Chirithy made a surprise entrance by appearing on Ven’s shoulder. Aqua had the impression that he was less exuberant than usual.

“Hey, I was just about to come looking for you,” greeted Ven.

Chirithy looked around the table, ears twitchy. “We need to discuss some things.”

The trio were taken aback with the small solemn spirit. Aqua racked her mind for reasons he could be upset--was he angry she’d wished Ven sweet dreams? 

“Uh, sure? Family meeting time,” said Ven.

Chirithy bounced down onto the table, coming to the center as a stage. He stamped a small foot.

“It is _really_ too much. _Three_ people’s nightmares? It’s too much for any one Dream Eater!”

Oh, dear. Aqua had not really considered the effect that the collective nightmares of the three of them might have on the poor spirit.

“I understand you’ve all been through some terrible trials,” continued Chirithy, “but you’ve attracted an absolute army of Nightmares in the Realm of Sleep, and it’s _very_ disruptive!”

“So that’s what you were upset about,” concluded Ven.

Aqua attempted to soothe him. “I’m very sorry to have upset you, Chirithy.”

“Sorry, Chirithy. We don’t entirely have control over that,” added Terra. 

“But you do! The two of you,” Chirithy pointed to Aqua and Terra, “have Keyblade Master training, you should know!”

Terra was quiet, his expression sour.

“Well, Chirithy, we’ve read about the Realm of Sleep, but the Master never guided us to explore it. We’d have to do some research...” said Aqua gently.

Ven interjected, “Master Yen Sid taught Sora and Riku all about it!”

“Do you remember much about it, Ven?” asked Aqua.

“I don’t think I could explain it. Hearts had to travel to the past to save worlds that were asleep, but it got all messed up and Riku ended up in Sora’s dream instead. I was already asleep, and then Sora was asleep, so you better look it up again.”

“I suppose we could ask Master Yen Sid for guidance.”

“Good luck with that,” said Ven, grimacing.

“Why do you say that?”

“He’s so…” short of choosing a word, Ven instead pulled his face into an exaggerated frown, eyebrows low and stern.

“They say your face will freeze like that,” spoke up Terra, trying to ease his own expression.

Ven scrunched his face further. “Then I’ll be ready to be just like Master Yen Sid when I’m a Keyblade Master.”

Aqua considered the practicalities of contacting Yen Sid. She knew the mirrored communication stone in the great hall could be used, but, to be honest, she had not properly learned how to make a new connection through it yet. “We could pay him a visit, assuming the tower hasn’t relocated by now. Well, _you_ could visit. I don’t have my armor or my keyblade, so I’m not going anywhere.”

“You lost it? Not in the Dark!” exclaimed Ven, incredulous.

Aqua cast a sidelong glance at Terra. “More like… left it in the Realm of Light.”

“That was a dumb thing to do,” said Ven bluntly.

Terra shifted, and Aqua suspected he kicked Ven under the table. He looked slightly uncomfortable, but added, “I know where it is. Or, I know where it was. Radiant Garden.”

Aqua wasn’t clear on how much Terra remembered, and she was under the impression that he wasn’t, either. But it warmed her to know that Terra had an inkling, at least, that she’d done what she could to save him. She had never even tried to call her armor in the Darkness, because it was with Terra. But after they had placed their memorial for Eraqus, she tried calling her old keyblade, but it would not materialize. Terra had quietly mentioned dark magic. 

“Okay, so Terra and I swing by Radiant Garden to pick up your armor...” began Ven.

“It’s not that simple,” said Terra. “We’re not leaving Aqua here alone, and we’ll need permission to enter the castle. The room I remember is not exactly on the usual visitor’s route.”

“You remember?” asked Ven, working that out. Aqua watched the mental gears click. “ _You mean…_ ”

Aqua kicked Ven under the table before he could get the thought out. Terra not only had the vague memory of returning to Radiant Garden with the armor, but that it was being kept in the castle, and its general whereabouts. How many horrors _did_ Terra remember?

“I should go,” said Aqua, course correcting. “It’s my armor, and Ansem the Wise won’t deny me entry. We did talk together in the Realm of Darkness, so we’re sort of friends… I think.”

“So we can borrow a ship and go together,” suggested Ven. “We can ask Riku, he’s my… well, he’s Sora’s friend.” He looked confused for a moment, and Chirithy gave Ven’s arm a supportive pat with his soft paw. 

“Don’t worry, Ven, you’ll always have us,” said Terra, giving Ven’s arm a playful punch.

“Right, so we’ll go together,” concluded Aqua. “And while we _could_ just try to find Yen Sid’s tower on the ship, I’d like to get my keyblade back, and then we can all travel at will again. Makes things easier. Ven, do you have your phone on you? Mine is upstairs.”

Ven fished his phone out of his pocket and slid it to Aqua. She scrolled through the contacts, and soon the tinny music of the Gummiphone was echoing around the stone walls in the kitchen. A moment later, the image of a surprised and intrigued Riku appeared on the small screen.

“Oh, hey, Aqua, what’s up?”

“Hi, Riku. I was hoping to ask for your advice and possibly help with something.”

“Sure, name it.”

“We need to make a trip to Radiant Garden to retrieve some belongings of mine. Would we be able to get a lift on a ship?”

“Oh, yeah, I can get you guys a ride. All of you, though? It might be a little tight, I’ve got _Highwind_ and it only has three seats. Can’t you guys just zoom around on your keyblades?”

Aqua briefly wondered if new Keyblade Master Riku would be learning that particular trick. “It’s actually my armor and keyblade that I need.”

Riku processed Aqua not having a keyblade. “Your…?”

“It’s kind of a long story,” Aqua interrupted.

“All right. We’ve had a lot of those lately. I can be there around lunchtime, if that’s good?”

“That’s great. Thank you so much, Riku.”

“Sure. Hey, before you go, is Ventus around?”

Ven, who had come to hover behind Aqua’s chair, and whose spiky hair Riku could undoubtedly see bouncing around in the background, craned forward over her shoulder. “Hey Riku!”

Aqua handed the phone to Ven.

“Hey, Ven. I was just wondering if you had any… Sora-related thoughts?”

Ven’s face fell. The group was still missing Sora. “Sorry. I haven't really dreamed anything or felt anything. I’m not sure if that still works?”

Riku’s voice sounded a bit flat. “That’s okay. I just thought it couldn’t hurt to ask, you know?”

“Yeah. I’ll be sure to tell you right away if anything comes up.”

“Thanks. Just… concerned.”

Ven nodded. “Me too.”

Riku cleared his throat. “Okay, well, see you soon.”

“Thanks again, Riku,” Aqua added as they ended the call.

Aqua thought through their newest mission, rather gentle and personal after saving the worlds. They could use the break. Of course, if they were planning to travel into the Realm of Sleep, she didn’t entirely know what they were in for.

“I’m going to go to the library to brush up on the Realm of Sleep while we wait,” she announced.

“I’ll help you,” said Terra.

Aqua noticed Ven trying to catch Terra’s eye to no avail. She assumed Ven was trying to gauge if he should come, too. Of course he could, the last thing she wanted to do was make Ven feel unwanted; but then being alone with Terra was … tempting... but also confusing. She realized some sort of family meeting about this was hovering on the horizon, but until she decided some things for herself, she was quietly grateful the time wasn’t entirely there yet.

“I think I’m going to show Chirithy around the grounds more,” decided Ven. If he was displeased with his decision, he didn’t show it, and Chirithy bounced happily. 

“You’re welcome to stop by the library if you’re done before Riku gets here,” Aqua added. She did mean that, and it might help her focus. Terra smiled, and Aqua very much hoped it helped her focus.

* * *

Ven took deep breaths of grassy mountain air and enjoyed the warm sun. He felt it seeping in especially on his left, on the dark side of his shirt, right into his heart. Chirithy bobbled along at his side. 

“Do you think your friends are angry at me?” Chirithy asked.

“Aw, no,” said Ven, reaching to scratch Chirithy’s ears comfortingly. “Aqua is really nice, and Terra might seem... “

“Sort of... serious?” 

“Yeah, but he’s not always like that. He’s a big softy, really. He’s my best friend, my big brother.” Ven flashed on a memory of Aqua teasing them about acting like brothers. Apparently that was a long time ago… longer than Vanitas calling him _brother._ Ven shook the idea out of his mind. Vanitas was… made from him, an old part of him. But Terra was Ven’s brother in all the ways that mattered.

“You must be really close with Terra and Aqua,” said Chirithy, bringing Ven out of his memory.

“Yeah, they’re my family.”

“Why didn’t you want to spend the morning with them, then?” Chirthy asked carefully.

“Oh,” replied Ven. “It wasn’t that I didn’t want to. I just… want to give them some time.”

Chirithy tilted his head curiously.

“Uh,” Ven ran his hand through his hair, considering what he wanted to confide. “Well, one, Terra told me he’s still getting over everything and I want to make sure he has time to think. Two, I think Aqua’s trying to work through some stuff, too, and that’s why she doesn’t want me to go off on my own, but I kinda have to. And, three, well… I’m pretty sure they’re in love with each other.”

Chirithy’s little arms and legs popped with surprise, and his ears wiggled. “Oh!”

“Don’t tell them I said anything. I don’t know if they know that I know,” said Ven.

Chirithy spent a moment working out that last bit, then nodded vigorously. “A secret!”

“I mean, I can see how they look at each other,” continued Ven. “But they’ve kind of _always_ done that. Grown-up stuff.”

“So they’ve always been in love?”

“I don’t know. As long as I’ve known them, maybe.”

Chirithy covered his face with his paws. “Are they kissing right now?”

Ven laughed. “I don’t know, I doubt it? I don’t think they do that yet, at least not that I’ve ever seen. They might not be so, uh… tense around each other if they did. But I also try not to think about it too much, and sometimes it’s just a lot to be around.”

Chirithy put a small paw in Ven’s hand. “Will they still spend time with you if they’re in love with each other?”

Ven picked Chirithy up. “Yeah, I’ve thought about that, I guess. Sometimes I worry about it a little? But they’ve always loved me, I don’t think they’d stop caring about me just because they care about each other in a different way, you know? Like I said, we’re a family. I want them to be happy. I want all of us to be happy.”

Chirithy gave Ven a snuggle. “You’re a good friend, kiddo.”

Ven squeezed Chirithy back. “Thanks. You’re pretty good at it yourself. Remember, just don’t say anything to Terra or Aqua about this, okay?”

Chirithy nodded again. “A secret!”

* * *

As Terra made it safely off the ladder to the library floor, having balanced a thick and unwieldy tome on archaic world lore, he idly wondered why he hadn’t just cast a magnet spell on it. He remembered, of course, Master Eraqus’s teachings that casting magic on unknown books was generally poor practice, as books themselves could carry their own type of magic, and the results could be unpredictable. He wondered if he’d ever get to know all the books in the vast library; he was reasonably sure that even the Master hadn’t, and while Terra had done his required reading, he’d never quite enjoyed it as much as the practical application. Now that Terra had unfortunately developed some of his own dark magic and acquired a great deal more of vague second-hand knowledge, he actually somewhat looked forward to reacquainting himself with the library and maybe balancing out some of that knowledge with wisdom, if such a goal was attainable. The more time that elapsed, the more Terra was realizing his own ignorance.

He settled down across from Aqua, a short stack of books and scrolls collecting to one side, and a large tower of material yet to be perused on the other. They had more than enough to keep them researching until lunch. He smiled, thinking of similar instances of study from when they were younger. He’d snuck glances at Aqua then, too; she had always been cute, but somewhere along the way, cute had turned into beautiful, and now beautiful seemed exquisite. Master Aqua, his light in the darkness.

Aqua looked up from her book and gave him a small smile. “So on the topic of sleep,” she segued, “did you manage to get any last night?”

Terra wondered if he looked tired and purposely sat up a little straighter. “Some. I was in and out.” 

“Was Chirithy right? Did you have nightmares, too?”

“I don’t think I was asleep long enough to,” he admitted. He had, indeed, drifted off a few times during the night, his head pillowed on his arm as he held Aqua’s hand. But sleep was… unknown. Sleep meant relinquishing control, and now he knew for a fact that the nightmares were waiting. He hadn’t really allowed himself the release.

Aqua gestured to the window seat. “Why don’t you nap until we leave?”

Terra entertained a passing daydream of the two of them at the window, his head in her lap as she perused a small book. She would gently stroke his hair back from his temple as he went to sleep, but he would be somewhat transfixed by the soft morning light on her face. He felt a pang of longing so sharp that it felt like pain from an old wound. He turned away from the window and opened his thick book with a dull thud. “Don’t you want another set of eyes on this Realm of Sleep stuff?” 

Aqua sighed. “I’m not sure the books are going to help. Listen to this: _Whilst in slumber, do thou enter Sleep’s Realm, the mirror of thy world that doth slumber. Here Spirits dwell, but Nightmares are slumber’s bane. Kindly Spirits and Malignant Nightmares bear the same forms, but thou shall know them by the sigils they wear._ ” She made a weary face.

“Ah, I understand. Reading the texts on the Realm of Sleep makes you _fall_ asleep,” quipped Terra.

She laughed softly. “True, but not helpful.”

“There’s gotta be something better than that.”

“Maybe, but so far, there’s nothing really detailed, a paragraph here, a page there. The real problem is that there are no instructions for how to access the Realm of Sleep other than to just…”

“Fall asleep?”

“Yeah. Master Yen Sid must know more.”

“I’m sure,” agreed Terra. “Though aside from appeasing Chirithy, I’m just not sure messing around in the Realm of Sleep will help us. The things we’ve been through… that’s not just going to stop affecting us because we summon certain spirits and banish others on the astral plane.”

“No, it won’t stop affecting us. But we might sleep a little better, that’s not nothing.”

Terra nodded. After morning exercises with Ven and a good breakfast, he was actually feeling decently awake, he just felt a little fuzziness at the edges from his sleepless night. But how long could he keep this up? As much as he wasn’t looking forward to whatever was waiting, he knew sleep would have to claim him eventually. He supposed even small help was welcome. Part of his mind grumbled that he was burdening others with his own troubles, but he attempted to redirect his thoughts. 

Terra paged through the book in front of him. It described what was known or suspected of the age of fairy tales, the Keyblade War, and the restoration of light to the worlds. It was just getting to discussion of the Lanes Between to known worlds when Aqua interrupted his search.

“You don’t have to do this, you know.” 

Terra looked up from his book, confused, and saw her watching him with gentle concern. “Research?”

“No, I mean, Terra, we’re about to go to Radiant Garden. We… you have… history there. Isn’t it a bit like going back to the dungeon where you were held captive just as soon as you were set free?”

Terra grimaced. He’d felt uneasy thinking about the Chamber of Repose, the castle, and all Radiant Garden entailed during breakfast, but a bit of strength spurred him on. “It’s also like spitting in the jailer’s face while I’m there. Maybe it’s rash, but I feel like if I don’t do this now, I might never be able to. It’ll get harder and harder the more I delay it and build it up.”

“Are you sure? Maybe get some rest, or stay on the Gummi Ship…?”

“I’m sure I want to try. And if it doesn’t work out, well, it won’t be the first thing I’ve failed at.” He tried not to overly focus on that bit of hard truth.

Aqua reached across the table and grabbed Terra’s hand, giving it a squeeze. He held it a moment before continuing.

“It’s just… if I choose to go, I can choose to leave, too. I think I need to be in those places to know he’s gone and I’m in control now.”

Aqua nodded slowly. Her concern was noted and appreciated, and she probably had a point, but he felt it was something he had to do.

“You won’t be alone,” Aqua asserted, her hand still strongly holding his. 

Terra had _never_ been alone, through his entire ordeal, but it was now that he could reach out to his friends. Aqua and Ven now had each others’ support, too. They were stronger together. The last time he had truly been himself in Radiant Garden, he had stormed off, allowing himself to get further tangled in a web of misinformation and lies, leaving the ones who mattered behind. He wasn’t about to make that mistake again.

“You won’t be alone, either,” Terra said, squeezing Aqua’s hand in return. She was the one who needed to hear that, and he’d do anything to help her feel supported. They gazed at each other for a long moment across the table, Terra again feeling the pang of longing to pull her closer.

“Sometimes it’s just surreal,” he started, his voice low, but sounding loud in the quiet room, “that everything’s the same here, when we’re not.”

Aqua smiled, looking down at their clasped hands amid the books. “But it’s home.”

Terra kept Aqua’s hand in his as he returned to his book, starting on a new page.


	3. Chapter 3

At midday, the _Highwind_ arrived, the chains in the forecourt still waving once it safely landed. Ven made his way aboard the ship, followed by Aqua and Terra, and they greeted Riku in the throne-like pilot seat. Ven turned circles in the domed cabin, taking in all the glowing, blinking readouts, resisting the urge to push buttons, and trying not to bump into the others.

“Like I said, a little tight on seating,” Riku gestured apologetically.

Ven settled himself into a chair and looked at the one remaining seat with a mischievous grin. “Aqua, you can sit on Terra’s lap.”

They both froze for a moment, startled and wide-eyed. Terra recovered first, and Ven earned himself a swat and hair ruffle as Terra pointedly took a seat on the floor between the two passenger chairs. 

Sure, Ven wanted them to work out whatever they were doing together, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t occasionally goad them on. 

Riku watched this unfold, but if he had any opinion on the dynamic, he didn’t share it, and, instead, shrugged. “Well it shouldn’t be a rough trip.”

Aqua took her seat, her face still faintly pink, and looked around. “Is Chirithy not coming?”

Ven shook his head. “Apparently not. He said he had to go and did his disappearing act. I think he might be feeling shy.” 

“Who’s Chirithy?” asked Riku.

“A Dream Eater. You just missed him.”

“A… Dream Eater? Outside the Realm of Sleep? I didn’t know they could do that.”

Ven shrugged. “Chirithy does.”

Riku looked sufficiently confused. “...Okay.”

“I guess we’re ready then,” Aqua said. “We really appreciate the ride.”

“It’s no trouble,” Riku replied. “Ever since I was a kid, all I wanted to do was travel between worlds. It’s much easier when there aren’t Heartless lurking in every shadow. And, well, Destiny Islands are a little quiet these days, so it’s nice to be busy.”

Ven watched curiously as Riku frowned, then checked some screens and adjusted controls. Despite having never touched a Gummi Ship, Ven had the distinct impression he could fly one. Direction and speed right in front, and there were the gauges for armor, power, and shields, direction markers, and other points of interest. It felt intuitive, and while part of that might have just been the nature of the ship, Ven also thought how handy it could be to have second-hand knowledge of abilities.

Land of Departure had given way to the reddish-purple of the Ocean Between, and not only was it odd to not pilot the ship, but also not to just fly directly on a Keyblade Glider. Just sitting back as a passenger wasn’t nearly as fun.

“So, Ven,” begin Riku, who probably noticed Ven eagerly craning forward to look at the ship, “will you be seeing Master Yen Sid about taking your Mark of Mastery exam?” 

Ven felt his cheeks get hot and he noticed Aqua and Terra stiffen in their seats. “I… I think Master Eraqus did things very differently. I expected to have to still have to study for _years_ before I could try for the Mark,” he answered carefully.

“Oh, I didn’t know. So you’ll keep training with Aqua and Terra?”

Another awkward beat.

“Aqua’s a master, but I’m not,” replied Terra flatly. “I didn’t pass my exam.”

“Oh.” Riku seemed to want to sink into his chair. “Well, Sora didn’t pass the first time, either. I just figured, circumstances being what they are…”

That was, in fact, exactly what Ven wanted, but Terra said he needed time, and he wasn’t sure how Aqua felt about it. “We haven’t talked about it yet,” said Ven simply.

Aqua turned to Ven and placed a hand on Terra’s shoulder. “We will,” she added encouragingly. 

They flew in silence for a while, not entirely uncomfortable with each other, but Ven figured everyone had their own uncomfortable thoughts. He kept an eye out for any interesting objects in the Ocean Between: he saw many asteroids, some gummi blocks, and seemed to avoid what might have been a straggling dark creature. The ship’s dome continued to show a bright overlay with a destination marker for Radiant Garden as Riku adjusted their heading. “The nice thing about Radiant Garden is that generally everybody knows about other worlds since the restoration, so there’s no need for pretense about where you’re from. There’s even a guy who builds Gummi Ships. I’m going to go see him about some upgrades while we’re there. Hope you don’t mind if I don’t tag along, but the castle isn’t exactly my favorite place.”

Terra shifted uncomfortably on the floor. 

Riku continued, “Also, I hope it’s okay that I called Ienzo to let him know to expect you. He’s one of DiZ--I mean, Ansem the Wise’s appren…”

“I know,” interrupted Terra quietly.

“... Right. Sorry,” Riku frowned. He busied himself with the controls, as Radiant Garden was coming up fast. “I’m going to put down in the outer gardens. They’re still a bit of a work in progress, but if the ship’s going to be there for any period of time, Cid can work on it with a little more space. It’s a little walk to the castle, but you know the way, I guess.” 

Ven tried to get a glimpse of Radiant Garden from above as Riku banked toward his landing. The castle, central square, and town looked much the same as he remembered, but he also had hazy shared memories of the world entirely collapsed, aqueducts and fountains dissolved into destructive rising waterfalls, the castle alone remaining as a twisted version of itself, fitted with darkness to pump out Heartless to destroy more worlds. The last time he--or Sora--had seen it, it was back to being a world, but a construction site full of craters and rubble. The restoration work was downright impressive. 

Once settled and off the ship with everyone else, Ven saw that the new outer gardens seemed more lived-in, like a park rather than a formal garden. The flower beds appeared to have been freshly replanted, as the plants were still small, but he saw sticks with paintings of vegetables and herb labels among the flowers in the nearest bed. On the far side of the garden, he saw some kids about his age skateboarding, and some younger ones splashing in a fountain. 

Terra stood stiffly to the side of the group, and Aqua glanced away from him to Ven. “Coming?”

Ven considered his options. “If you don’t mind, I think I’ll stay with Riku. I want to check out the ship and the town.”

Aqua nodded. “I have no idea how long we’ll be, but I’ll call when we’re done.” Impulsively, she gathered Ven up into a tight hug. “Be safe, okay?”

From somewhere near her shoulder, Ven whined, “Safe from _what_?”

She pulled back and studied him, concern on her face. “I don’t know. Just…”

“We’ll stick together,” chimed in Riku. “Cid’ll be out here soon, don’t worry, Aqua.” 

“Come on, I don’t need to be watched,” added Ven.

Aqua’s hands were still on Ven’s shoulders. She put her forehead against his. “I know. Just humor me, please?”

Ven shook her off, but with no ill-will. He gave her a grin. “We got this.”

Aqua turned her attention to Terra, who had barely moved. “Ready?” she asked.

Terra made a decisive nod, and took off with a wide stride. Aqua fell into step beside him as they moved toward the entryway in the castle walls.

Once they moved out of earshot, Riku turned to Ven. “So, are they okay?”

“Uh… I guess okay-ish?”

Riku nodded. “You know, Ansem--the Xehanort Ansem, not the real Ansem--just had control of me for a short time, but it still messes with me sometimes. I can’t begin to imagine what Terra’s been through for all those years. And I spent some time in the darkness, but that’s nothing compared to Aqua.”

Ven had an odd sense of feeling like he knew more of what Riku had been through than either of his best friends. “I don’t think there’s really any point in comparing that sort of thing. Everybody’s pain is different, even if the numbers do match up.”

“I just mean that I can sort of get an idea of what they might be feeling.”

“They’re… definitely feeling a lot of things.”

Riku tilted his head. “You mean… wait, they’re together-together?”

“Yes and no?”

Riku laughed. “How’s that to live with?”

“I’m pretty used to it. It’s not new, it just got a little more intense lately.”

“I have some experience with being the third wheel in my friend group, too.” 

“Yeah, but in my case, it’s a little different.”

Riku blinked in confusion, then leaned back against the ship. “Sometimes I forget you know everything Sora knew.”

“Sorry?”

“Nah, I mean, you’re not wrong. I did have feelings for Kairi a couple of years ago. Not … that I don’t have feelings now, just…” Riku trailed off.

“She’s gonna be okay,” Ven encouraged.

Riku nodded. “Trying to keep that in my heart, to be honest.”

From across the garden, Cid appeared, giving them a wave, and they turned their attentions to the Gummi Ship.

* * *

Aqua had to double every fourth step to keep up with Terra’s quick, long stride. She glanced over at him, but his gaze was fixed straight ahead, wearing a determined face. She scurried along beside him.

The city gates were new to Aqua, but she could see the castle’s tallest turrets past the battlement, so she had a general sense of where she was. She followed Terra into a tunneled entryway, a stairway raising them closer to ground level inside the city walls, with softly babbling waterways to either side. As they climbed a second set of stairs, Aqua processed where they were. Re-emerging into the light of day, both Aqua and Terra froze in their tracks. 

Memory unexpectedly knocked the wind out of her, envisioning the last time they had been in this central square together. The Terra she knew, who she stood beside now, had been locked away, the dark heart of Xehanort possessing his body. She had fought for Terra, and they had all lost dearly. 

Aqua stared at the spot in the courtyard where she’d dove into darkness, not to return for a decade, and she sharply reached out and grabbed Terra’s hand, clasping it tight. 

His hand felt warm and strong, and after just a moment, tightened back around hers. 

“I’m with you,” she said, her words like a memory, as she turned to face him.

Terra’s face was still and haunted, his breaths short and shallow as he gazed unfixedly toward the center of the square. He closed his eyes, lashes long on his cheeks, and took a ragged, slow breath. He took a second one, more smoothly, in and out. He then raised her hand to his lips and pressed a firm kiss of the back of it.

Aqua’s breath caught for the second time in so many minutes. A warm flush shot along her extremities and up her spine, her face feeling hot. 

Terra held their clasped hands to his heart for another breath, head down, eyes closed, while Aqua attempted to regain her composure. He then raised his gaze to the castle, looking ready for battle. He kept Aqua’s hand clasped in his, intertwining their fingers.

She squeezed his hand, taking a deep breath herself, and skirted around the square toward the castle.

The enormous castle doors were guarded by two hulking, uniformed figures, one with wiry red hair and the other’s long and dark. They wore equally imposing glares, though Terra still looked as though he might battle his way through them both, if necessary.

Aqua came to a stop before anyone felt the need to present weapons. “Master Aqua and Terra. We are expected,” she announced. She would have proclaimed their business, but she wasn’t sure how to phrase it. Here to reclaim my armor? Here to have Terra face his demons?

The dark one nodded, and opened a smaller, reasonably-sized door set within the great one. He gestured stiffly to the entrance.

Terra took a step forward and the red-haired guard let out an involuntary snarl.

“Let’s get this out of the way,” Terra said quietly, releasing Aqua’s hand. He took another step forward, shoulders back, and looked between the guards, frank and undaunted.

“Dilan, Aeleus,” he said, greeting the guards in turn, “You are filled with righteous fury against Xehanort for what he took from you and for harming those you care about. I promise you, that is a sentiment we share. You are well met.”

Dilan, the dark haired guard, nodded. Aeleus huffed and turned his head aside. Terra faced forward and took a long stride through the door.

A short polished stone hallway led to another set of large decorative doors, which stood open to the entrance hall. Aqua found the interior of the castle to be vaguely similar to the castle foyer of Cinderella’s world. Gold and dusky rose walls arched wide around them, tall pillars supporting a high ceiling. Ahead, across the polished tile floor, a fountain bubbled. Beneath an ornate filigree glass light, two wide, gilded staircases curved, and descending the stairs was Ansem the Wise, followed by a young man with tousled silvery blue hair.

“Master Aqua,” greeted Ansem. “It is good to see you in the Realm of Light.”

“Likewise,” Aqua bowed. He looked much the same as always, though he had doffed his black coat for a white one, a light purple tie, and a bright red scarf. He turned to Terra.

“And though I know your face, it would seem we have never met. I am Ansem,” he greeted, inclining his head.

“Terra,” he replied, jaw stiff. “I do know you, sir.”

“Indeed, painful matters of the heart. Aqua, your friend here is returned to you, but what of the third?”

Aqua had spoken to Ansem often about Terra and Ven. In the darkness, it had been frustratingly futile to piece together the nightmarish truth that the Xehanort who Ansem knew was in fact inhabiting Terra’s body, and that Xehanort had maintained a strong enough hold over Terra to continue to use him as a puppet. She had worked on seeking stillness with Ansem, watching the dark waves lap endlessly on the shore, and she’d often succeeded by necessity, but sometimes, she had clung to her Wayfinder so tightly that it made indentations in her palm. Ansem had insisted he knew much of hearts, and that Aqua would be reunited eventually with Terra and Ven. She had believed this, too, but it had been nice to hear in the Realm of Darkness from a voice other than her own. It was nice to know now that his words of support rang true. 

“Ven’s here, too, in the city. We’re… as well as can be expected. We’re happy to be together,” Aqua said, directing a small smile to Terra. He reached out for her hand again, and held it lightly.

“I am sorry for the hardships you have endured, but I’m glad to see such strong hearts reunited. Long may you enjoy the Realm of Light. You’re also welcome to Radiant Garden, though I must offer my apologies, as I cannot stay to visit with you. I am in the midst of a very important project which requires my attention, and my other apprentice can only maintain it without assistance for so long.”

Aqua wondered if he was working on connections to Sora’s heart.

“Please allow me to introduce Ienzo, my invaluable project assistant, who will help you with anything you need in the castle. He knows it better than I, at this point.” The young man came forward and inclined his head.

“Aqua, Terra, please return for a visit again, you are always welcome here,” finished Ansem in his deep voice, exchanging bows, and taking his leave.

Ienzo, meanwhile, was studying Terra, his one visible eye amid his tousled hair intensely curious. 

“Fascinating,” said Ienzo under his breath, forgetting pleasantries. “You do look _extraordinarily_ like him.”

Terra’s brows lowered, and his hand tightened slightly against Aqua’s. “Actually, _he_ looked like _me._ ”

“Indeed!” Ienzo exclaimed. “May I ask… do you recall much about the time Xehanort spent here as an apprentice?”

“Some. Enough,” Terra replied. He glanced around the entrance hall, and added quietly, “More than enough.”

“Interesting.” Ienzo seemed to take mental note of this. “Despite that prior acquaintance, as a formality, it is good to meet you, _Terra_. I hope I can be of service.”

Terra nodded his head the slightest amount.

Ienzo turned his attention to Aqua for the first time, taking her free hand and bowing over it. “Of course Ansem has spoken highly of the kindness and companionship that Master Aqua offered during their acquaintance. It is my pleasure to meet so extraordinary a person.”

“Nice to meet you, Ienzo. To the nature of our visit, we were hoping to locate a personal item here in Radiant Garden. My keyblade and my suit of armor were last seen here, particularly in the castle, and we hoped to look for it, if we may.”

“Yes, it is still here.” He spent a moment sizing up Aqua, and she felt perhaps something of what Terra experienced a moment ago, more of a specimen for study than a new acquaintance. “I did wonder why Xemnas kept what was undoubtedly a woman’s suit of armor in the Chamber of Repose. The concept of Xehanort the apprentice ever experiencing an emotional attachment to another human being was beyond even my formidable powers of imagination.”

Aqua did not care to dwell on the sentiment. “Have you retrieved it, then?”

“Merely investigated. The location is, to put it rather unscientifically, very cursed. But curiosity has always been my fatal flaw. Please, if you’ll follow me.”

Ienzo led Aqua and Terra up the curving staircase and through a doorway into a cavernously high room, tall open space climbing through most of what Aqua assumed to be the central tower of the castle. She could see landings for higher level floors, all of which seemed to be connected through a series of gilded, cage-like elevator platforms. Ienzo called a platform with some sort of control crystal at the landing, but once they were loaded, instead of heading to a higher floor, the platform started to smoothly descend, and even more surprisingly, change to horizontal movement and right angle turns before further descent.

Terra’s hand remained in hers, alternating between hanging limply and gripping tightly. She was glad to offer whatever reassurance she could by just being with him and offering the small point of physical contact.

The platform eventually stopped in a pink-walled corridor, through which they took a few turns and descended a short set of steps until the hallway walls turned cream-colored and the tiled floor turned to carpet. 

At the end of the hallway, they entered a round room; a study, by the look of it. A semi-circular desk sat in the middle of the room, books sat on shelves, and charts lined the wall, but by far the most striking object in the room was an enormous portrait that bore Terra’s likeness.

The face was Terra’s, young and beautiful and beloved, but the coloration was wrong; gold eyes instead of blue, and carefully coiffed, long silver hair instead of tousled brown. But it was even more chilling to see the expression of his haunted self, cold and haughty. Terra’s lips did not curl into that sneer, nor did how brows ever quite arch in such a manner.

Aqua glanced at Terra, who was scowling, but even that expression lacked the animosity of the portrait. “Why is that still here?”

Ienzo considered the portrait. “Ansem has not made any particular decision on it. Perhaps he considers it a reminder of his past hubris?” offered Ienzo.

“I don’t think he’s likely to forget,” grumbled Terra. Aqua curled in closer, holding Terra’s arm against her, cradling his hand in both of hers.

Ienzo continued, “I had always taken the portrait as an expression of vanity, but knowing that it wasn’t Xehanort’s true face changes one’s perspective. It rather brings to mind a warrior wearing the pelt of a slain lion.”

As close as Aqua was to Terra, she felt him flinch slightly. “Or keeping a wounded one on a chain,” Terra added grimly. He leaned closer to Aqua and mused, in a low, quiet voice, “Do you suppose I could set fire to it?”

“I would strongly discourage such a course of action!” exclaimed Ienzo, alarmed. He gestured toward the only other exit from the room, a metal hallway. “Please, let’s carry on.” 

Terra heaved another breath. 

“Do you want to stop?” Aqua asked him quietly.

Terra stared down the hallway and regained his determined expression. “No.”

On some level, she suspected Terra wanted to materialize his keyblade and smash his way through the castle, or, lacking that, rip it apart with his bare hands. She also suspected he wanted to freeze in horror, or flee. The mental and emotional effort to remain still, to focus on his goal, she realized, was something with which he had unfathomable practice.

The next room was quite unlike anything Aqua would have expected in the castle. Through an observational glass wall, she could see a canyon-like room, somehow possibly deeper than the castle was tall. The distant end farther than she could see, with walls covered in rows upon rows of unidentifiable chambers like pods or power cells. She didn’t understand what she was seeing, but it seemed connected to the room in which she now stood, which had a long computer bank below the observation window. Set into the wall behind her was some sort of large, round, electronic device, like an eye overlooking the canyon. She felt uneasy, and while there did not seem to be any particular threat of darkness, she sensed there may have been at one time.

Ienzo was working at the computer terminal. “The security program on this computer, Tron, was a little troublesome when I first returned to my research. It would seem that the restoration of Radiant Garden edited some access codes. It became a fortunate turn of events, though, as my name was part of a series of passcodes that accessed the lower levels. I’d never had direct access before. Tron was quite forthcoming with information when it was determined that I was not a security threat.” His fingers stopped typing away at the keyboard. 

“The hatch is prepared,” continued Ienzo, gesturing toward an electronic door ahead. “You may descend at your leisure. Though I must confess, I would strongly prefer not to go down there again at the moment.”

“We’ll manage,” replied Terra hollowly, as they made for the door.

The door turned out to be a small elevator taking them to the base of the cavernous room. From the ground floor, Aqua looked up and out across the canyon and shivered. Ahead, on the floor, a glowing polygon pulsed with light. Terra approached it and paused.

“I don’t know what Ienzo or Tron did to this, but before, I… he had to be alone,” he said, reluctantly letting go of her hand and stepping forward onto the bar of light.

A moment later, with a rumble, a rectangular portion of the floor dropped down and split open, creating a dark, yawning pit lit with low crystalline light, shifting between red and purple. A ramp appeared, dropping into the pit. Aqua began to understand why Ienzo said the place felt cursed.

Terra took a step to the side and held out his hand again. “It’s okay.”

Aqua stepped forward onto the bar, whatever sensing it had done on Terra apparently satisfied. She shook Terra’s hand back and forth gently. “You don’t have to go,” she reminded him as they looked into the pit.

“I know.” 

“Do you want to keep going?”

A pause, but determined, “Yes.”

“Okay. I’m with you.”

Terra squeezed her hand, and they descended in the dark pit. As soon as their heads cleared the floor, the hatch in the floor closed above them, feeling to Aqua sinkingly as if they had been sealed in a tomb. When they stepped off the edge of the ramp, it vanished as mysteriously as it had appeared. Aqua found a ramp snaking off to their left, spiraling down around the edge of the black, circular pit. She turned around to look down; the ramp plunged further than she could see, sinking into the deepest blackness.

As she craned forward, Terra had repositioned himself behind her, both his arms wrapping around her waist and pulling her back tight against him, away from the ledge. His breath was warm and ragged against her hair. “Please don’t do that. Please.”

She wrapped her arms over his. “Okay. I was just looking. I won’t lean over any more.”

After a moment, she felt his arms release from her middle, and she missed his reassuringly solid warmth at her back. She interlaced their fingers again and looked up at him. He nodded, exhaled, and turned toward the ramp.

Aqua let him set the pace, and his steps were heavy and mechanical on the somewhat steep ramp. The shaft echoed with their footsteps and Terra’s deep breaths as they descended.

“Terra?” Aqua asked quietly, hesitant to startle him out of his state, but wondering if breaking the oppressive atmosphere would help.

He turned his attention to her, though did not pause in his steps.

“We don’t have to talk about it, but… what was that big room up there?”

“Ah, the Heartless manufactory. That room, that… machine, it pumped out Heartless. It took stolen hearts and unnaturally turned them into creatures of darkness that sought to turn everything else to darkness, too. This world was once all but lost to the dark, this castle was the only thing left. That, and creatures of darkness, like the Heartless… like me.”

“Not like you. Like him,” Aqua asserted. Though that clearly explained the lingering darkness about the place.

“Like him,” Terra repeated, but she wasn’t sure he wasn’t lost in his own harsh thoughts again.

“And where are we going?”

“It was called the Chamber of Repose. But the nightmarish experiments down there…” Terra said, the cadence of his steps faltering for the first time. 

Aqua paused and waited to see what Terra would do. He faced down the ramp and collected himself again, adding, “It’s not much farther.”

“Of all the places not to install a lift,” mused Aqua.

Terra actually smiled, and even managed a small chuckle. “I used to think the same thing.”

She gave him an encouraging smile, and he took another breath and continued down the ramp. 

When they finally reached the end, a door slid open to reveal a black tiled hallway with nearly a dozen white doors to either side. The doors were all chillingly chained shut, with electronic keypads, barred windows, and glowing red bars adding color to the otherwise eerily clinical monochrome. Aqua could feel that terrible things happened here. She clung close to Terra, who forged ahead, though moving as if each step was a struggle through quicksand. 

At the end of the hall, an ornate white door with a chain motif slid open. Inside was a round white room, the walls covered in a chain pattern which looked shockingly similar to where she had left Ven to sleep; the room and chains had a dark cast where Ven’s chamber had softly glowed, and the marks on the walls looked something like a warped, flipped version of the keyblade wielder mark.

In the middle of the room was a prominent throne, and, beyond it, was Aqua’s armor and keyblade. Aqua went to step inside, but Terra stilled her.

“Wait, not yet. I want to be sure he didn’t… do something to it. Some spell or curse for you or for keyblade wielders or…”

“Did he?” Aqua had felt a progressively stronger sense of darkness the deeper she moved through the castle, and while nothing felt like immediate danger, unease lurked in every corner in this corridor. Everything felt a little bit wrong, like back when, even while she lounged on the sunniest patch of beach on Destiny Island, she was still trapped in the Realm of Darkness. She felt on alert, but Terra may have known any lurking dangers here more than her.

Terra shook his head. “I don’t know. I was most… myself in this room, the wall separating us was stronger, so he was distinctly different from me here, and I couldn’t always catch what he was thinking.”

“Would that kind of thing work, though? After all, the armor is wrought to protect us from darkness, and a keyblade itself…”

“I don’t know. But there was so much malicious intent in everything here, always seeking, questioning, pushing…”

“Okay. So will you… feel? anything?” 

“I don’t know. I’ll try.”

Terra stepped into the room, and after a moment, stood straighter. “It’s quiet. It’s just me,” he whispered. He held his hand out behind him, beckoning her into the room. “And you.”

She came beside him, and saw his eyes were closed, brow furrowed, but otherwise still. He circled the chair in the middle of the room by a wide margin, then reached out to lightly touch her keyblade with his fingertips. Stormfall looked so delicate, moreso next to Terra. After a moment, he nodded to her. While she could have just picked it up, she reached out her hand to summon it.

Stormfall obeyed, materializing in her hand. She gave a wide smile. It was lighter than the Master’s keyblade, the grip perfectly fitted to her hand. She stepped back, unable to resist a swing and a feint, getting her arm readjusted to the blade. “Good to have you back, old friend,” she murmured.

Terra watched from a kneeling position. He had settled next to her armor to check that, as well. There was a thin layer of dust on it, and perhaps a bit of tarnish, but otherwise seemed to be in good condition. She looked at the visor and was briefly reminded that Ven would need to get his helmet repaired. It had served in a pinch in the Lanes Between, but getting frozen and slammed against a cliffside had done some damage. She shuddered at the memory. 

Terra closed his eyes and splayed his hand over the plate that protected her heart. She was suddenly, unexpectedly affected by the still seriousness of his face, the fall of his hair, and the size of his hand compared to her breastplate. She chided herself for her blush. 

Terra passed his hand over the rest of the armor, touching each piece briefly, then sitting back on his heels. “Aside from the dust, I think it’s all right.”

“I guess he didn’t expect I’d be back for it.”

“His mistake.”

“Not the only one.”

Terra nodded. Aqua activated the control on her shoulder, simply storing the pieces until she needed to call on them later. She then held out her hand to Terra to help him up.

“Let’s get back to the light.”

Terra eagerly took her hand.

* * *

Passing through the front gate of the castle, feeling the warm sun on his face and the fresh air in his lungs, Terra felt like a tight constricting band around his chest finally fell away. That trip through the castle had distinctly not been easy, but he had done it. The only voice in his head had been his own, his movements and choices had been his own. While he was not likely to revisit an experience like that again any time soon, he knew that he could. His own thoughts remained a mess, but they were his to act upon. 

He drew deep breaths as they skirted the central square, and felt Aqua’s hand strong in his own. She’d been his lifeline through the entire ordeal, and he didn’t know how he’d be able to thank her; he knew that her support was unconditionally given, as he would offer to her in return, but the depth of that care, or love, to term it properly, was astonishing.

As they passed into the shadow of the outer city wall, so near freedom from this haunted place, Terra paused Aqua with a gentle tug to her hand. She looked up at him, blue eyes gently curious.

“Aqua, I know I’ve said this before, and I may never stop saying it, but... _thank you._ ” If he could imbue the words with magic to properly express the relief, the calm, the strength he received from her, he would. He bowed his head.

Aqua reached up and gently cupped his jaw. He raised his eyes to her, and she was smiling at him softly. He gathered her hand in his and shifted slightly, pressing a whisper of a kiss to her fingertips as he returned their hands to their sides. A beautiful blush colored her cheeks.

He longed to gather her in his arms and kiss her properly, but… not here.

He fell into step beside her, and pressed on toward the outer gardens. When they entered the sunlight again, Ven and Riku were chatting near the Gummi Ship. Ven hopped excitedly and made his way over.

“Check it out! The Moogles fixed it! Good as new!” Ven, looking vastly pleased, skidded to a halt in front of them, holding his shiny silver helmet.

Terra flashed to the last time he had seen Ven before everything went terribly wrong, Xehanort dangling him off the edge of a butte in a cruel, crushing grip to the back of his head. Terra hadn’t known for quite some time what had become of Ven; locked away in a corner of his own mind, he’d clung to the thought of his friends so hard that he _had_ to believe Ven had come out of that okay. But then Xehanort had come to believe it, too, as he regained his memories, and perhaps had used some sort of dark connection to Ven or assumption in his failed plan to resurrect Kingdom Hearts to recognize he was still out there somewhere. 

Regardless, when Terra had connected to Aqua for that all-too-brief, shining moment in the dark, confirming that Ven was still safe out there somewhere gave him cause to keep fighting. And talking to Aqua was, well… it was a deep and constant ache, knowing he could reach her, reassure her, reassure _himself,_ but knowing he could never safely use that connection again. There had only been the occasional whisper, but he could never be entirely sure if that had just been his imagination or yearning heart. But at least he had found the strength to keep up the shield around his mind and his heart to protect her.

Aqua now looked at Ven’s helmet with some confusion. “That’s nice, Ven, but… how did you pay the Moogles?”

“Ah, I had picked up a couple of things they wanted. Gems, mithril, that kind of stuff, you know what Moogles like. I also… kinda… promised them more…” he said, running his hand through his hair.

“Which you plan to get from where?” asked Aqua, frowning.

“Oh, you know, Heartless drop that stuff all the time. The natural ones still pop up all sorts of places, Riku told me.”

Riku, some distance away at the ship, must have read the expressions and made himself scarce.

“It’s no big _deal_ , Aqua.” Ven continued, seeing her disapproval. “That’s what Keyblade wielders are supposed to be doing anyway, fighting the darkness. Right, Terra?”

Terra felt uneasy. He was still coming to grips with his regained normal life, the concept of fighting darkness that wasn’t his own was somewhat abstract, Moogle debt was maybe not something to mess around with, and a family spat was not something Terra relished at that moment. “Yeah, but Ven, we could have worked this out.”

“The Master didn’t exactly let us run wild through the worlds, remember?” added Aqua.

Ven frowned. “I know, but defending the light and defeating the Heartless _isn’t_ running wild. I know what I’m doing! Besides, things are _different_ now.”

“So different that we shouldn’t still honor the Master’s teachings?” Aqua challenged.

“That’s not what I _meant,_ Aqua!” sulked Ven. He punched his pauldron to activate his armor and jammed on his helmet. “I’ll see you at Yen Sid’s.” 

Ven materialized his keyblade and gave it a sharp toss. 

“Ventus, wait!” pleaded Aqua, but Ven was already hopping on his glider and zooming to the sky.

Aqua went to activate her armor, but Terra took her elbow gently. “Give him a minute.”

“But… he’s…” Aqua wrenched her eyes away from the sky to look at Terra.

“Alone? Yeah. And blowing off some steam. We’ll be right behind him, but give him the head start.”

She frowned, and after a moment, put her forehead against his chest. “I didn’t want to chase him away.”

“I know.” Terra ran his hand over the back of her head. Her hair was silky. He dared not touch her bare upper back. 

Terra recognized that he and Aqua were going to have to have a conversation or… something. And then talk to Ven, once they worked it out between each other. He felt several strong emotions about the eventuality. But first, dealing with moody Ven, Moogle debt, a stern old wizard, and nightmares, apparently. Weariness seeped at the edges of his mind.

“I’ll talk to Ven,” he assured. Aqua raised her head from his chest and gave him a weak smile. He felt like most of her smiles these days were a little sad. His hand, still stroking her hair, pulled her forward a bit, and he rested his forehead against hers for a moment. 

He attempted to reassure himself everything was going to be okay. His mind struggled with it, but they were all together, so surely they could work things out. It would have to be okay.

Terra stepped back and, without thinking, activated his armor.

_Dark._

_Darkness._

_Too tight. Can’t move. Trapped._

_Not again._

The air in Terra’s lungs rushed out as a vice clamped his chest, fogging his helmet. His narrowed vision swam at the edges. Sound stopped, except for an incessant, deafening pounding.

Pounding in his ears, pounding in his body, his heart feeling so insistently painful that he was sure it would burst through his chest.

He couldn’t move. Couldn’t move, couldn’t think.

His lungs eventually forced a breath, a loud, strained gasp, but his chest was too tight and his heart was too erratic. 

_Trapped._

_No escape._

_No no no._

_Why does your mind resist?_

A panicked vision of himself -- but from outside himself -- his body outside his mind, his mind locked away, lungs no longer his to control, _stiff, wrong, can’t breathe_ . _No. Not again._

_Terra._

_No, he was Terra._

_He’s gone, he’s gone, he’s gone._

_Terra._

_“Terra!”_

Distantly, murkily, Aqua’s voice.

_Aqua, it’s not me. End it. I can’t do this again. Help. Please._

“Terra, I’m going to help you with your armor.”

_Was he anything left without the armor? He was shattered, too many pieces._

_Broken._

He felt motion, his arm moving without using his muscles, across his body toward his pauldron.

Unyielding armor, locking his arms and legs, constricting his chest, trapping his mind, dissolved away into light. Air cooled the sweat on his brow, the smooth shirt at his back, his legs feeling the brush of soft fabric. He gasped a clear breath and fell forward to his hands and knees, shaking.

“Terra, I’m here. _You’re_ here.”

He felt the cobblestones solid under his hands, rough against his knees. He tried flexing his fingers; they obeyed. 

He took a shuddering breath. He pulled his fingers into a weak fist, and released them again. 

_He’s gone. I’m here. It’s me._

Terra felt a cool fingers against his forehead, a hand at his back. Sensations were almost overwhelming, but he recognized Aqua’s touch, and didn’t want her to stop.

He flexed his hand again, heart still pounding, lungs tight, but working.

She caressed his face, and while he couldn’t raise his eyes to hers, she wiped tears from his cheeks.

Shame started to creep into his mind. 

Terra vaguely processed quick footsteps coming closer. “Is he okay?” he heard Riku ask.

“No,” replied Terra a little sharply, forcing out words. “But I will be.”

“Can we get you somewhere more comfortable?” Aqua asked softly. “In the ship?”

Even the concept of lying down right there in the middle of the rough garden cobblestones and possibly sinking down into them was enticing, but being able to collapse in a chair in relative privacy was a little preferable. He nodded, and moved to get up, which was easier said than done.

Aqua was at his elbow, and when he found his legs unwilling to cooperate, Riku took his other. Terra got to his feet, but he felt weak and dizzy, his knees prone to buckling.

“You’re like a bag of rocks,” observed Riku.

Aqua and Riku both took one of Terra’s arms around their necks, they braced him at the waist, and stumbled together toward the ship. Terra could feel his face burning red with embarrassment.

On board the ship, the cockpit cool and softly beeping, Terra slumped into a chair with a heavy exhale. He shut his eyes and wanted to be alone for a while. But he also didn’t entirely want Aqua to stop smoothing his hair and touching him with concern. Circumstances could be better, though.

He reached up for Aqua’s hand and squeezed it. “I think you’re going to have to go after Ven.”

She knelt next to his seat. “We can all go?”

“I don’t think I can face that beard right now,” Terra said, attempting to defer with a weak grin. In actuality, showing up in front of his Master’s Master in this sorry state would only make him feel more humiliated. Not to mention that he finally felt the lack of sleep hit him like a sledgehammer.

“I can take you home,” offered Riku. “Even hang around until you’re all back, if you want.”

“See?” Terra said to Aqua. “Nothing to worry about. Keyblade Master supervision and everything.”

He finally opened his eyes properly and focused on her, her consternation mixed with practical considerations. He could get lost in her eyes. He wouldn’t mind drowning in them right now.

“I’ll get back as soon as I can,” she promised, clearly hesitant to leave. “With Ven.”

“Hey,” Terra said, squeezing her hand still in his. “I just need to catch my breath a little, I’ll be okay.” 

She leaned forward and wrapped her arms tightly around his middle, burying her face against his neck. He leaned into the hug, holding her in return. Terra felt some tension ease from his muscles and his breathing came easier as they spent several heartbeats together. 

Eventually, Aqua pulled back and was already heading off the ship while Terra was still surrounded by the faint lingering scent of water lilies. He hauled himself up in his chair to look out the window as she activated her armor. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary as she mounted her glider and took off, so Terra sagged back into his chair, exhausted.

“You need a minute, or should we go, too?” Riku asked cautiously.

“Let’s get out of here,” Terra replied.

“No arguments from me,” confirmed Riku, taking to the controls.

Terra leaned his head back and closed his eyes. As tired as he was, he also felt shaky, jittery, and his mind whirled. He hadn’t slept, and he’d consciously put himself through an emotional gauntlet. He had been so relieved to be out of the castle that he just hadn’t been thinking. Obviously whatever part of his consciousness that had spent a decade trapped in his armor had rebelled severely when he put it back on. He hadn’t been prepared for the pure panic, the desperation, of being back inside that thing. Which, in retrospect…

“I’m an idiot,” murmured Terra, evidently aloud.

“For what it’s worth,” ventured Riku, “I spent a year stumbling around in a blindfold after Xehanort possessed me for about fifteen minutes. I’m in no place to judge.”

Terra was so surprised by this information that he wasn’t sure how to react for a moment. “A blindfold?” he eventually asked.

Riku shrugged expressively. “I don’t know. It helped.”

“Should I get one, too?” 

“I’m not sure it was the best idea I could have had, but I had to do something. I felt shame so deep that I didn’t feel worthy to see the world, for others to see me, or for me to see myself. I had to accept that part of me, and it took time. Friends helped. I can’t really know how you’re feeling, and I’m not sure if this helps, but know that you’re not alone.”

Terra sat dazed, attempting to absorb Riku’s meaningful words. Riku understood. From the first moment they met, Terra felt a connection to the young man--who was not quite so young now. While they had only known each other as their true selves for a short time, their paths had crossed again and again throughout the years. He was grateful keyblade damage didn’t leave bodily marks, as Riku would have played a part in destroying him; he would have barely had a body to come back to. And when Xehanort’s heartless form had latched onto Riku as a host, some portion of Terra had been along for the ride, as well. Not only did Terra know what it was like to have a malignant entity inhabit your body against your will, but he knew what it was like to be displaced from his own. Terra shuddered. 

“After everything, I didn’t expect I’d be… the same. Not for a long time, maybe not ever. But I didn’t expect _that_ , just now, either,” said Terra, gesturing vaguely to his pauldron. He looked at it with disgust and considered taking it off.

“I never knew what was going to make me… like that, either. Not the first time. But you learn. I’m better, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t still affect me,” confessed Riku.

“Riku, I’m… I’m so sorry.”

Riku seemed thoughtful. “There was a long time that I wished it had never happened. But it’s part of what makes me who I am now, and I like who I am now. Maybe you’ll feel that way someday, too.”

“Do you… ever think that Xehanort targeted you because I bequeathed the keyblade to you?” Terra ventured.

“Huh. Is _that_ your problem with me?”

Terra blinked. “My what?”

“You’ve been kinda… terse. I didn’t realize you felt guilty about that.”

“Oh.” Terra sank a little further into his chair. “Well, Radiant Garden…”

“I figured that part. I was trying not to take it personally.”

Terra felt embarrassed that his private turmoil had been so transparent. “Sorry.”

Riku waved him off. “I think maybe Xehanort targeted me for the same reason he targeted you. In our respective circles, we were the oldest, the physically strongest, the ones who felt responsible for the others. We _wanted_ to be powerful to protect the ones we cared so much about. I’m still that way, and I don’t think it’s necessarily wrong. But Xehanort saw that as a way to manipulate us. I did… things I’m not proud of, because Maleficent convinced me that I had to, so that I could save Kairi. I was so focused on that, I didn’t care about anything else.”

Terra nodded. Hearing such a familiar story, and knowing the lengths of Xehanort’s manipulations, wasn’t exactly comforting; but it was affirming, in a way. “I guess I really did choose you for the keyblade because I saw some of myself in you.”

“I don’t know if Xehanort saw himself in a quest for power, too, but it wasn’t for the same reasons. It was just a pathway for him. But I don’t think you caused him to pick me. Even if I did, I wouldn’t blame you. You look like you stepped right out of my memory. That memory of you passing the keyblade helped me to know somebody believed in me for who I was and who I could be at my best, not how I could be used. That itself helped me summon the keyblade. So, actually, thank you.”

Terra had really not been expecting this day to go in these directions. His visit to Destiny Islands felt so long ago, even though it was really one of the more recent things he had done under his own control. But all that lost time in between… where might he have been now had it not been for that? A Keyblade Master, surely, perhaps with an apprentice of his own. But now, he wasn’t sure when or if he’d ever feel ready for that. Ven expected him to be the kind of keyblade wielder that Riku remembered, knowledgeable and inspiring. He didn’t feel like he could be either of those, except by poor example, but he supposed time would tell. He was still struggling with his own use of the keyblade and his own mastery; but the keyblade kept coming when he willed it, and perhaps that was like Riku knowing somebody, something, believed in him.

The flight was companionably quiet and thoughtful as Riku adjusted the heading toward Land of Departure. Terra, feeling he should acknowledge what had been said, ventured, “It can’t be easy to talk about what happened to you. I appreciate that you did.”

Riku nodded. “It’s not, but it gets easier. Bottling it up definitely makes it worse, for me, anyway.”

“I think I was a little surprised that Yen Sid named you a master already, but I see why he did.”

Riku laughed. “Just don’t start ‘Master Riku’ing me, okay? I know I still have a lot to learn.”

Terra chuckled, too. “Master Eraqus often spoke of how much he still had to learn. A sure sign of a true Keyblade Master.”


	4. Chapter 4

Ven shuffled around on the patch of ground in front of Yen Sid’s tower, idly poking the bushes with his keyblade for anything interesting, finding nothing but ambient magic dust. His helmet really was good as new, he’d had no trouble getting there, and he’d been able to see clearly that Aqua and Terra hadn’t been trying to chase him down, which was just as well. But the grassy patch was not especially large, and on his fifth trip in a circle with no sign of either of them, he slumped onto the tower steps. They sure were taking their grand time to show up; probably trying to teach him some kind of lesson about patience. 

He scanned the night sky, remembering having sat right there next to Aqua in what felt like ages ago, not mere days. But Ven realized he was having a little trouble keeping track of time; one one hand, it felt like he had been hugging Master Eraqus last week, but on the other, he’d lived a borrowed life for a decade in the meantime. Sometimes he felt like he couldn’t even sort out which memories were his own. So no wonder he wanted to get on with his own life and get back to feeling something like normal. He ruffled his hand through his hair and then saw a bright twinkle in the sky, resolving into a streak of light heading for the tower.

Ven got to his feet as he watched Aqua come in for a landing, hopping off her glider and dismissing her armor.

“Took you long enough,” Ven said, glancing to the sky again. “Where’s Terra?”

“Terra went home,” Aqua replied quietly, her voice unsteady. 

It was only then that Ven actually looked at Aqua. Her eyes and nose were a bit red around the edges, and she had little of her usual confidence.

“Aqua, are you... crying?”

She bowed her head. “Terra had sort of a … bad reaction to putting on his armor. He’s tired, but he’ll be okay.”

Ven had some concern, but he believed that Terra was tired, he’d been through a lot lately. “Are _you_ okay?” he asked.

Aqua wiped her face but didn’t respond. He took a step closer and offered a hug, and she seemed glad to accept it. She gave him a little squeeze in return, and held on for one extra beat.

“I’m sorry I took off without warning,” Ven said as he pulled back. “You were being so…”

“Overprotective?” Aqua offered.

“Pretty much. Like I’m a little kid who needs to be watched.”

Aqua frowned, and gestured toward the tower steps. They sat down side-by-side. “Ven, you don’t have to prove yourself to me. I _know_ how strong you are. It’s just that when I’m by myself, away from both of you, I feel like I’m going to lose you again. I know it’s foolish, and I know it isn’t true, but I can’t shake the feeling. I’m trying.”

“Aqua, we’re not going to leave you.”

“It’s not like either of you _wanted_ to leave before, either, but it still _happened._ It’s getting easier bit by bit at home, when I know where you are. I understand that you want to feel free and independent, but I really need you to be patient with me for now, please?”

“I was sitting here thinking you were trying to teach me about patience, anyway. Might get on my nerves sometimes, but I understand why. I’ll do my best. I probably need to get a lot more wise and boring so I can be a Keyblade Master.”

“You think Keyblade Masters are boring? You think _I’m_ boring?” Aqua asked, sounding incredulous, but with the hint of a smile. 

Ven laughed. “Sometimes!”

Aqua leaned over and checked his shoulder, and he goodnaturedly bumped her back. 

“So about being a Keyblade Master,” lead Aqua, “who do you want to train with?”

“Um, you and Terra, obviously!” 

“Well, I didn’t want to assume,” Aqua replied, her grin turning more thoughtful after a moment. “The thing is, Ven, if I’m going to train you, you’re going to have to… actually listen to me.”

“I listen!” Ven argued.

But as Ven sat there taking in Aqua’s skeptical look, he thought back over his most recent departure from Radiant Garden, as well the time all three of them fought that Unversed and he called her awful. Maybe _listening_ meant a little less about just hearing the words, and a little more about thoughtfulness. But while Aqua being his training Keyblade Master would probably lead to some frustrating days for both of them, because it was basically hard for his sister to boss him around, Aqua was talented and brave and kind and everything a Keyblade Master should be. Without Master Eraqus, if somebody had to be the grown-up, he absolutely trusted Aqua to do the job.

Ven let out a deep breath. “Aqua, it’s not that I don’t respect you or want you to think well of me. It’s just that on some deep level, I know that you care about me unconditionally, and sometimes I take that for granted. I’ll try to do better.”

The next thing Ven knew, he was pulled into a tight hug, Aqua’s cheek wet against his, her breath a little uneven.

“You’re crying again!”

“Good crying this time,” she said as she pulled back, wiping her face and smiling. “I’m not sure if I can be as good a teacher as the Master was; I haven’t tried it before. But I promise to do my best, and be very mindful about when my fears and anxieties are telling me to hold you too close.”

Ven grinned back at her, then followed, “I guess I should ask if you _want_ to train me?”

“Ven!” Aqua exclaimed, taken aback.

“I’m serious,” he said gently. “I mean, I know what I want, but you only just returned to the Realm of Light. The Master spent so much time with us, and maybe there are… other things you wanted to do…?”

Aqua gave him a bittersweet smile. “The whole time I was lost in the dark, the only thing I wanted was to be able to come back home and be with you and Terra. The only thing that kept me going was the hope I really could. And part of being a Keyblade Master is the responsibility of passing on the teachings we’ve learned. You know that’s all that Terra and I have ever wanted.”

Ven considered Terra and Aqua and their suspected feelings. With carefully weighed words, he ventured, “I think you and Terra might want some new things now.”

Aqua’s reaction was subtle but perceptible. Her face registered surprise and confusion, blushing a little and glancing away, but she eventually gave a slight nod and replied in equally vague terms. “I guess that’s true, for me. I won’t speak for Terra. I guess some things _could_ change.”

Ven caught her eye, dancing around the subject but reasonably sure they were on the same page. “I’m okay with that. Things won’t ever be exactly like they were, not with the Master gone, and not after what happened to us. So I think I’m ready for change.”

Aqua gathered him up for a hug again, and he hugged her right back. She didn’t seem to be crying this time.

“I’ll talk to Terra when we get back,” Ven reassured her when they parted.

Aqua looked a bit concerned again as she glanced back at the tower, getting to her feet. “Let’s talk with Master Yen Sid so we can go home.”

Now Ven _really_ remembered being on these steps with Aqua before, missing Terra and waiting to be reunited. “Was the thing with Terra… that bad?”

Aqua sighed. “He panicked. Which seems natural for him to have some strong reactions to things that remind him of what happened. It’s just difficult to see him distressed and in pain and not really be able to do much.”

“But he’ll be all right?” prompted Ven.

Aqua considered the question. “He’ll get better on his own time. He said he needed to rest, so I hope he’s feeling better now. Riku promised to stay around until we got back, so if Terra needs some kind of immediate help, someone is there.”

“Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a healing spell for hearts?”

Aqua put her hand on Ven’s hair and ruffled it softly. “Yes, well. There’s love, anyway. Just works slow sometimes.”

They gave each other soft smiles, then opened the door to the tower. 

* * *

Aqua didn’t assume the tower’s front door would have even opened if Master Yen Sid was unavailable, but she was just as glad to hear his deep voice bid them enter when she and Ven knocked on the study door.

The room looked unchanged as ever, Yen Sid sitting still and stately behind his desk, as if he’d never moved to hold off a swarming sea of heartless in the Keyblade Graveyard. Aqua and Ven offered a bow.

“I apologize for dropping in on you unannounced, Master,” Aqua said.

The usually stern visage of Yen Sid looked almost kindly. “You and Ventus are always welcome here, Master Aqua.”

Aqua had long ago taken ownership of her title of Master, though it was still rewarding to hear herself recognized as a peer to the venerable wizard. “Thank you. We’ve come to ask for your guidance in seeking the Realm of Sleep.”

“You are wasting no time in continuing to expand your knowledge, I see. Very admirable.”

“I have to admit that my interest is as much pragmatic as it is academic.”

“Yes, I expect the Realm of Darkness has provided ample fodder for Nightmares,” mused Yen Sid as Aqua shifted slightly. “It may be wise to seek the aid of Dream Eaters. I expect Terra may benefit from this, as well?”

“I hope so, Master,” answered Aqua, as Ven nodded beside her.

Yen Sid lifted his arm and twitched a finger toward a bookshelf, a tome now floating toward them with an ambient magical glow. “I have a bestiary of Dream Eaters which may be of interest.” 

The book bounced in front of them, and Ven took it neatly from the air. Cradling it in one arm, he carefully turned the pages. 

Aqua watched over Ven’s shoulder a moment, noting the fantastical colorful creatures, and clarified, “I found some information in our library, but I couldn’t understand how to enter the Realm of Sleep.”

Yen Sid nodded slowly. “Merely entering the Realm of Sleep is not difficult, though entering in a functionally conscious manner, with your own intentional actions and abilities to see the true forms of Spirits and Nightmares, requires advanced magic beyond simply falling asleep, as you may have gathered. Keyblade Masters of old studied this Realm, but as the threat of darkness grew within the Realm of Light and by necessity took importance, information about the Realm of Sleep became largely esoteric. I have studied as a curiosity, though even I do not know many of the Realm’s secrets.”

Aqua momentarily wondered if she, too, would be tested to figure this out on her own when Yen Sid continued, “Ventus, you may have some knowledge of Sora and Riku’s journey into the Realm of Sleep, though theirs was quite a unique and complicated case. They needed to enter the Realm of Sleep by inhabiting their past selves in a world that was falling to darkness, and, thus, falling to sleep. Aqua, your circumstances are different, and, happily, will not require such extreme measures, though this is still a highly magical task. It is simpler to access the Realm of Sleep from the Realms Between, and your home in the Land of Departure itself has a curious feature. As it hangs in the balance between light and dark, so to does it balance between sleeping and waking. You might say its sleeping twin is already very nearby.”

Aqua considered Yen Sid’s words, thought of what she knew of Land of Departure, and guessed at his meaning. “So Land of Departure has access to a particular Sleeping World, which is… Castle Oblivion?”

“Very astute.”

“Castle Oblivion was a Sleeping World?” asked Ven, looking up from his book for a moment. “Makes sense to me.”

The Castle had also been somewhat shifting and unreal, dreamlike, even to Aqua, but apparently exceptionally to everyone else. The answer had apparently been right under her nose. “So would I access the Realm of Sleep through the world keyhole, then?”

Yen Sid seemed pleased with her deductive skills. “You might, but I do not recommend it. Even a gifted Master such as yourself, Aqua, could be overwhelmed by Nightmares, unable to return to the waking world, wholly trapped in the Realm of Sleep. The Sleeping World of Castle Oblivion may be kinder to you as a familiar denizen and Master, but it is still a mysterious place, not entirely like other Sleeping Worlds. It would be wiser to do your exploration in pairs, leaving your physical forms safe in the waking world. When one has fallen asleep and begun to dream, the other should dive into their dream.”

“How is that accomplished?”

“With the close bonds between all your hearts, such a thing should be instinctive. You will merely need to focus, with intent.”

“I suppose that’s why none of the books had much of an explanation,” mused Aqua. For all the study of hearts, and the thousands of hours of research from hundreds of wielders, some magic ultimately had to be personal, found deep inside and developed by the individual.

“Your physical body will appear to sleep, but you will share the dreams of your partner. There in Castle Oblivion, memory will dominate the dreamscape. With practice, you may shape it to be very pleasant, built of your fondest memories. Benign Spirits are attracted to positive emotions; the converse is true of Nightmares.”

“Do you then just wake naturally?”

“You should wake when the first sleeper wakes, yes. Unless matters go awry.”

Ven glanced up from his book again, but then slowly, studiously turned a page.

“How might things go awry?” Aqua asked.

“While there is no chance of physical harm, I must caution you that the partner who purposefully dove into the Realm of Sleep should not fall asleep or otherwise lose consciousness within the dream. If they do, theirs will be an enchanted sleep, and will not wake without extraordinary and magical means.”

Aqua nodded at the warning. “Is there anything else you can tell me?”

Yen Sid steepled his fingers and looked at Aqua very seriously. “Though this is the safer way of journeying to the Realm of Sleep, it is not to be undertaken lightly. Inviting another to share your dreams is a profound act of trust. You may guard your innermost thoughts carefully, but it is possible that the most closely held secrets of your heart may be laid bare. On such matters, I cannot advise.”

Aqua’s cheeks felt somewhat warm, but she gave a polite, formal bow. “Thank you very much for your wisdom, Master.”

Yen Sid nodded graciously. “It is always a pleasure to encounter a keen and inquisitive mind. I hope you will visit often.”

“Please know that you are always welcome in the Land of Departure, as well. We... haven’t really touched the Master’s belongings, just a few books and papers in the library…” Her voice caught a bit unexpectedly and drifted off.

Yen Sid rose from his chair, a towering figure, and came to place a hand on Aqua’s shoulder. The gesture was warm, if a bit stiff. “I will come soon, to teach you to use the stone of sight and advise on other artifacts Eraqus may have collected.”

Aqua bowed her head. “We would be very grateful, Master.”

Ven, flipping one more page and seeing an illustration of Chirithy, clutched the book close to his chest. “May we borrow this, Master?”

“Of course, Ventus. Have you come to any decisions about continuing your training?”

Ven grinned. “I’m going to train with Aqua and Terra.”

Yen Sid nodded approvingly. “As expected. A fine choice.” He returned his attention to Aqua as Ven edged toward the door. “Please inform Terra that when he is prepared for the Mark of Mastery, I will be ready to bestow it. No doubt you will have your hands full guiding Ventus. Your aptitude for the mystical arts is very great indeed, and I hope you will continue your own studies.”

“Thank you, Master, I hope to, as well,” replied Aqua, feeling touched.

Yen Sid gestured toward the door. “Be off, then. Ventus’s youthful energy is reminding me of the weary days when Mickey was my apprentice.”

Aqua stifled a laugh, bowed again, and they took their leave.

* * *

The crisp white and gold, greens and blues of Land of Departure were welcoming as Ven and Aqua exited the Lanes Between. As Ven went to land, he spotted Terra at the summit and gestured to Aqua, veering up the mountain path. She flew next to him, and they landed at the edge of the grounds, some paces from Terra, and stowed their armor. 

Terra was sitting on the stone bench, elbows on his knees, chin on his fist, facing their home. His head drooped a little to the side, and Ven was just wondering if Terra had dozed off when he took a breath and turned to see them.

“Terra,” Aqua greeted, gently, her hand to her heart.

“Didn’t want to scare you, just wanted to see how you were doing,” said Ven.

“Tired,” answered Terra honestly, the sound of it in his voice, “but okay. Better. Did you find Master Yen Sid?”

Aqua nodded, noticeably relaxing a bit. “Yes. He gave us instructions. We can get to the Realm of Sleep from here, actually, though it sounds… tricky.” 

“But nothing a Keyblade Master can’t handle, I’m sure,” replied Terra. 

“Actually, he said we should do it together,” said Aqua, somewhat haltingly, her cheeks looking a little pink. 

“Oh.” 

Ven looked between the two of them and brandished the large tome from Yen Sid. “He gave us this book on Dream Eaters, too. You should probably look at this, so you can find some good Spirits.” He poked Aqua with the book, and she accepted it somewhat awkwardly. 

“So we just work some magic, fall asleep, find some Spirits, have better dreams?” asked Terra.

“I don’t think it’s quite that easy,” Aqua cautioned.

“That’s basically what Master Yen Sid said,” Ven agreed with Terra.

Terra uncurled from the bench and stretched a bit. “Okay.”

“Okay? Okay, as in… do… the sleeping… now?” Aqua stuttered. Ven wasn’t used to seeing Aqua flustered.

Terra smiled fondly. “Well, I guess if any of us other than Ven ever want to get a decent sleep, we better try.”

“Oh. Right.” Aqua glanced down at the book in her arms. “I’m going to go look at this.”

“Can we catch up with you? I want to talk to Terra for a minute,” said Ven.

Aqua looked at them both a moment, then nodded. “We’ll talk later.”

When Aqua had cleared the mountain pass, Terra leaned against the back of the bench. “Can we not talk about what happened in Radiant Garden?” he asked wearily.

“Absolutely not what I wanted to talk about, so yes.”

“Good. So what’s up?”

“Master Yen Sid asked me about completing my training, and I told him I wanted to train with you and Aqua, but I figured I should, you know, actually ask you.”

Terra frowned. “Ven, you know I’m not…”

“A Master?” Ven finished. “Yeah, but you kinda are.”

Terra shook his head. “ _Kinda_ isn’t good enough.”

“Okay, but…”

“Aqua should train you,” said Terra, his words sharp, glancing back toward the path. 

“You don’t want to?” 

“Ven, you know that isn’t what I meant.”

“I do know. I know you’re not feeling very sure right now, and you want me to think you wouldn’t be a good teacher. Terra, you’ve _always_ taught me, long before you were trying for your Mark of Mastery. I have learned at least as much from you and Aqua as I did from Master Eraqus, right from the very beginning. You fought so hard for the light. You don’t need to do anything that you haven’t _always_ done, just let me learn how to fight for the light, too.

Terra looked thoughtful and a bit emotional. After a moment, he nodded. “I think I can do that much.”

“Good. That’s decided then,” Ven grinned, then glanced back toward the path, lowering his voice though Aqua was long gone. “But you know, there’s one other thing I wanted to talk to you about. About… you and Aqua.”

Terra looked wary, almost ready to drop into a defensive posture. “What about us?”

“Well, about _you_ and _Aqua._ ”

Terra exhaled and slumped against the bench. “Ven, I gotta be honest with you, I don’t think I’m ready to have this conversation.”

“Are you sure? Because I don’t see this getting any easier,” Ven prompted. He knew Terra was having a rough day, but with the way they’d been, and this Realm of Sleep stuff… maybe just getting it out of the way now was the better choice.

Terra huffed and crossed his arms. “Fine.”

“Okay, but could you look slightly less hostile?”

Terra seemed to drain his energy as a sigh as slid down the back of the bench, knees up, his head propped to the straight back of the stone, eyes closed, looking both disgusted and exhausted. “Fine.”

“I can work with that.” Ven took a deep breath. “So you guys love each other.”

“We _all_ love each other,” said Terra, eyes closed, voice flat.

“Yeah, but you two are _in_ love with each other, and don’t pretend like you don’t know what I’m talking about.” Terra’s eyes opened to a narrow slit, but Ven forged ahead. “Let me just… get this out.”

Terra closed his eyes again and gave an open-handed gesture, then dropped his head to his knees.

“Okay. I just wanted you to know that I… approve? Not that you need that, but I wanted you to know. I want you both to be happy. I told Aqua that I don’t expect things to ever go back to the way they used to be, and it’s okay if things change. I know that even if you and Aqua change the way you are together, it doesn’t mean that you and I and she and I and the three of us won’t still be _us_ , okay? And I promise that this is like the _worst_ of how weird I plan to be about it.”

Ven took a deep breath, as he heard a still Terra mutter an expressive, “ _Good_ ,” from his still position. 

When another breath went by, Ven observed, “So you aren’t denying any of this.”

“Did you actually have this whole conversation with her, too?” Terra diverted.

“Sort of. Just way more vaguely.”

Terra raised his head and gave Ven a sour look. “How come she gets the vague one and I get _this_?”

“Because she’s Aqua and she understands! Anyway, that’s what I wanted to say. She can get you caught up on the details of what Master Yen Sid said, but it seems like you two probably need to sleep together.”

Terra’s eyebrows raised and his face turned red before he closed his eyes again and thunked his head back against the bench.

“Sleep… with each other,” Ven attempted to correct, but found the same problem. “ _Sleep_ …”

“Just stop,” mumbled Terra.

“You know what I mean!”

“Please stop.”

“I’m going to stop.”

“Besides, we already slept--”

“ _Whoa,_ ” interrupted Ven. “You two are okay but I don’t want this information.”

“ _Slept._ In the same room.”

“ _Information._ ”

“Okay, are we done?” Terra got to his feet. “I’m going to go fight some nightmares because it seems preferable to this.”

“Yeah, we went right past peak weird and kept going. See you back at the castle!” Ven took off with a running head-start.

* * *

Aqua had gotten her emotions under control by the time she got back to the castle. She felt a little silly, but perhaps the day--and really, all adventures leading to it--had gotten to her a bit. She could use some peaceful rest, and it seemed like everyone could tell; or was it just that she felt everyone could read her emotions about Terra? But seeing him there in the lengthening sunlight, having won his fight against the darkness but not without scars from the battle, tired but willing to jump into their next trial with her, and not even knowing what this might do the two of them… her heart felt both stronger and weaker at the same time. 

Maybe her emotions weren’t quite as controlled as she thought.

When she entered the foyer, she caught a whiff of toast, and figured tea might be a good idea. When she entered the kitchen, she found Riku, working on the construction of a truly impressive sandwich.

“Oh, hey. I, uh… guess it looks kinda like I made myself at home here. Terra left a bit ago for some space, wanted a little time to himself.”

Aqua smiled. “You’re very welcome, of course. I saw Terra on the way in. He showed you how to use the pantry?”

Riku chuckled. “Yeah, that’s quite an appliance. He already ate and we got enough sandwich fixings for a half dozen people, help yourself.”

“It likes Terra best,” she confided, voice lowered, as she set down the Dream Eater book and surveyed the bread. 

“So you found Yen Sid?” asked Riku, noting the book.

“Yes, he was… esoteric, but helpful,” she said as she selected a piece and toasted it with a minor fire spell.

“Classic Yen Sid.” Riku flipped open the book and smiled warmly at a brightly colored bat sporting a huge grin. 

Aqua glanced over his shoulder. “Looks nice. Friend of yours?”

“Yeah, you could say that. My first Spirit was a Komory Bat. They really are quite helpful.” He turned the page and saw an illustration of the same bat, but in dark shades of blue instead of bright pink and yellow. It was labelled a nightmare. 

“How is this one a Nightmare? Nightmares and Spirits have the same form?” 

“There’s sort of a color palette thing going on, but mostly you can tell because the Nightmares will attack you and the Spirits mostly just want to snuggle.”

“You’re a wealth of knowledge, Master Riku,” Aqua smiled as she continued with her sandwich.

A few moments later, Ven slid into the kitchen, pink from what she assumed was a brisk run. She partially expected Terra to show up winded behind him, as chases were traditionally more common than not. 

“Hey, I smelled toast, I’m starving. Ooh, is that ham?” Ven beamed, sidling up to the table and noticing the Spirit book. “Oh yeah, I remember those. Or, well, I remember Sora knowing those.” He shrugged, then started piling a sandwich high with ham and cheese.

“So you had your talk with Terra?” Aqua asked delicately.

“Yep, everything’s good. I think he’s ready to go fight some Nightmares and make some Spirit friends, I guess whenever you are.” He took an enormous bite. 

Aqua found even her measured bite of her own sandwich a bit harder to swallow. She cleared her throat. “So do the Spirits talk?” 

“They… vocalize. But not intelligibly, or at least not in any language I can understand,” said Riku.

“I wonder why Chirithy talks, then?” Aqua wondered.

As if on cue, Chirithy appeared on the table next to Ven with a small poof. “How would we play Chirithy Says if I couldn’t talk?”

Riku tipped back in his chair in wide-eyed surprise. 

It occurred to Aqua that this was Riku’s first encounter with Chirithy, who was evidently ready to make new friends. 

Ven offered an introduction. “Oh, Riku, this is Chirithy. Chirithy, Master Riku.”

“Uh… hi?” offered Riku, settling back once he saw everyone else treating Chirithy’s appearance as normal.

Chirithy reached for Riku’s hand for both paws and shook it. “Nice to meet a fellow Dream Eater!”

“Likewise. Though I’m not sure I count as one anymore.”

“You’ll always protect your friends. Of course it counts.”

Riku grinned at the small spirit.

Ven balanced his sandwich in one hand and flipped toward the end of the book. A sketch of a delighted-looking Chirithy stood on the page. “Hey Chirithy, check this out, there’s a big picture of you in this book.” 

The actual Chirithy in the room gasped, putting his little paws to his cheeks. “I’m adorable!”

“That you are,” said Ven, reaching over to scratch behind his ear.

Aqua, finishing up, cleaned her plate with a jet of water over the washbasin, went to collect her teacup from the cupboard, and picked up Terra’s, too. She got out two tea balls and went to fill them with tea from the usual tin on the counter, but then realized the tea would be quite old and might not taste so good. There was once a small herb garden outside, but without tending, it was in sorry shape. She’d have to get a bit creative.

Aqua gently knocked on the pantry door. “May I have some chamomile, mint, and valerian, please?”

“Ooh, the sleeping potion,” interrupted Ven.

“I wasn’t aware there was a potion for that?” questioned Riku.

“It’s a joke,” explained Aqua. She turned her attention back to the pantry door. “I’d like to make some herbal tea to help Terra and I get some sleep, the way the Master used to prepare it.”

Aqua opened the door and found neatly arranged piles of fresh flowers and herbs, several more than she had requested, probably because she’d mentioned it was for Terra. She thanked the cabinet and scooped the ingredients into a bowl, plucking at the bundles that needed to be tidied. She figured an aero spell might do the trick for drying. A scented whoosh ruffled her hair and her sleeves, and sure enough, a decent looking bowl of whole freshly dried herbal tea sat before her. She crushed this up a bit and placed it in the tea balls, selecting a fresh tin to store the rest of her tea.

“So heading to the Realm of Sleep?” Riku asked as Aqua picked up her teacups. 

She nodded. 

“Good luck. I mean, Sora and I almost got trapped forever, but I guess there’s like 400% less Xehanort there now.”

Aqua was startled by Riku’s frank assessment, but laughed despite herself, especially as joined by Ven. 

While the laugh did her good, she still had some nagging concerns. “Chirithy, will you know if we’re in serious trouble?”

Chirithy nodded. “Yes. I’ll make sure Ventus doesn’t disturb you unless you really need his help.”

“Hey!” exclaimed Ven, playfully offended.

Chirithy patted Ven’s arm softly.

“Since everyone is accounted for, I should probably get going, too,” said Riku, helping tidy the table.

“Before you go, you wouldn’t want to spar, would you?” asked Ven, hopeful.

Riku smiled. “Yeah, sure.”

“Nice!” Ven jumped to his feet, scurrying to clean the kitchen. 

“Have fun, but--” Aqua began.

“Don’t say ‘be careful,’” warned Ven.

“It’s okay, I know all the healing spells,” added Riku.

“Please tell me that was a joke,” said Aqua with only a hint of concern.

The table clean, the boys, laughing, took off toward the front door with Chirithy bouncing after them. Aqua balanced the teacups on the book of Spirits and made her way upstairs. 

* * *

Terra entered his room with the sun low in the hills and warm golden light on the walls. It was still a bit early in the evening to seriously consider sleep for the night, but Terra hadn’t experienced anything resembling a regular night for a very long time. He felt startlingly alert to odd sensations and sounds while also feeling numbed and slow to reason. His body needed the rest, though he wasn’t sure his mind would cooperate; he felt ready to face whatever nightmares awaited him, but he knew sleep could sometimes be a funny thing, evasive when you needed it most. But with the trails that day in particular, he figured he might have finally exhausted himself enough to earn a rest. 

Even if apparently some part of his mind was going to be having adventures? Would the Realm of Sleep still work like normal sleep? Was just… _normal_ sleep taking place in the Realm of Sleep anyway? But it would be different because he’d intentionally be sharing his dreams with Aqua? That could be… something.

Terra paced around his room a moment before peeling off his clothes; one of the side effects of his incident of the armor had been rather a lot of sweat. He rolled his shirt into a ball, tossed it in the hamper in his closet, filled his basin with water and quickly scrubbed himself down. Feeling and smelling better, he found an old shirt, a little faded and worn thin, and a pair of loose-fitting soft trousers. He had just finished dressing when there was a soft knock at his door.

He found Aqua standing there in her soft nightgown, arms full, wide blue eyes looking up at him expectantly. 

For just a moment, Terra forgot everything. He forgot his trauma, he forgot his shame and exhaustion, he forgot about the Realm of Sleep, he maybe even forgot to breathe. There was only Aqua at his door, gazing up at him, about to join him in bed.

Manners returned, beckoning her in and offering to help with the items she carried; he took the large book, which seemed to be the book they had acquired from Yen Sid. Other negative feelings crept back to his awareness, but he ignored them as much as possible, sitting down on the edge of his bed and taking a steadying breath. 

He reminded himself that this was _Aqua,_ and he had no cause to feel this ridiculously anxious… but the very fact that this was _Aqua_ was apparently the problem.

“I brought tea,” she said, setting the cups on the table, then filling them and heating the water with magic. She handed him a cup, pleasantly warm with a gentle curl of steam wafting off the top.

“Show-off,” he observed as she, too, settled on the bedside with tea. 

“What? Oh, come on, you can make a cup of tea.”

Terra shrugged. “Sure, but not without a puddle on the floor and a big cloud of steam.” He caught the herbal scent of the tea as it steeped and remembered every time the Master dosed them with it when they were sick, or couldn’t--or wouldn’t--sleep. He felt his own drowsiness rise up and hit him again like a sleeping spell. “So, Realm of Sleep, together, how does this work?”

Aqua’s cheeks turned a little pink. “Yen Sid said the safest thing to do was go in pairs, and that it should be instinctual. My instincts tell me you’re going to need to fall asleep, then I can unlock your heart,” Aqua’s cheeks turned very pink indeed, “dive into your dream, and find you there.”

The buzzing sensation dulled for a moment and Terra suddenly felt very alert. “You have to go into my dreams?”

Aqua looked down at her tea. “Yes, having another person share your dream seems… intimate. _Emotionally,_ ” she added with emphasis, her furious blush becoming.

Terra’s own cheeks felt warm as reached a hand over to Aqua, taking one of hers and holding it tight. “I would share anything with you,” he said earnestly, causing her to look up and catch his gaze. “But I’d hope to spare you some of my nightmares.”

Aqua squeezed his hand in return. “We’re supposed to be able to shape the dreams to some degree, because our sleeping world will be Castle Oblivion. Positive memories and emotions will help us find Dream Eaters.”

Terra shuddered. “You think I’m going to be having pleasant dreams? In Castle Oblivion?” 

Aqua released his hand, and instead moved closer to him on the bed. “I don’t think we’ll be there much, it’s just a starting point. I’ll be there to help.”

Terra was loathe to dwell on memories of Castle Oblivion, or any of the other unpleasant nightmares his mind might provide. He was apprehensive for entirely different reasons what sorts of dreams Aqua might encounter in his mind. “What if I dove into your dream instead?”

Aqua shook her head. “Yen Sid said we have a problem if the dream diver falls asleep in the dream. Terra, you can’t keep fighting sleep, you have to rest.”

“Is this actually going to be restful?”

“You’re going to be asleep. Everyone I’ve ever met who has been in an enchanted sleep seemed pretty energetic when they woke up. And the Dream Eaters should help us.”

Terra sighed and looked down at the Dream Eater book on the bed. He paged through it quickly, taking in brightly colored animal spirits that looked either friendly, threatening, or, somehow, a mix of both. Having some on his side in a fight would surely be useful, though he didn’t entirely want them to face his nightmares any more than he wanted to face them himself.

The teacup in his other hand now felt a drinkable temperature. He took a swig and scrunched his face. “Still tastes like weeds.”

“It’s chamomile. You could put honey in it?” suggested Aqua. She drank some of her own tea.

“No, it would just taste like honey on weeds.” He held the tea ball aside and drained the cup. He gathered it with the book and set them both on the bedside table, then he settled back next to Aqua. Sleep was coming. “I’m afraid,” he admitted.

Aqua set her cup down, too, and placed her hand on his cheek. “I know. But Terra, you’ve always been brave. Your courage, the way you never stopped fighting, is deeper and stronger than I can even imagine.”

Terra heaved a sigh. “That’s exactly why I can’t sleep. Maybe I think I have to keep fighting him off. Maybe I just don’t remember how _not_ to struggle.”

Aqua leaned forward and placed her forehead against his, finding his hands with hers. Neither one of them said anything for a few moments, just sat there in each others’ company. Eventually, Aqua said quietly, “You can relax, Terra. I’m here. We’re here together. It’s just sleep, and it’s just dreams. The dreams can’t hurt us. Not really.”

“The things I remember, Aqua…”

“Are in the past,” she reassured. “We already lived through it. He’s gone, and I’m here. Please, Terra. Trust me.”

“I do. Always.” She had saved his body before, and he trusted her to save his mind. She was his light. And she was so, so close to him.

“Sleep,” she coaxed.

Terra relented and leaned back against the bed. It felt so soft and inviting, that he really didn’t want to move, but he managed to roll and rearrange himself to get situated with his head on his pillow and a blanket over him. 

A moment later, he felt Aqua curl next to him and run her hand over his hair. With his eyes closed, he was very aware of her delicate touch. Allowing himself to be deeply relaxed for the first time in memory, Terra whispered, “Don’t stop.”

Tension eased out of him and his mind quieted. His awareness narrowed, body melting into the soft bed, feeling Aqua’s gentle caresses. He could sense the warm light from her nearby heart, and he felt his own heart beating, slow and steady in time. Through their hearts, Terra found peace.


	5. Chapter 5

Aqua took her time delicately exploring Terra’s features as he fell asleep. She stroked her hand through his hair, shifting the feathery layers. She smoothed down the tuft on top of his head, but it seemed to want to stay spiked up, even against the pillow, which made her smile. She brushed his hair back from his temple, running her thumb along his narrow arched brow and the backs of her fingers along his cheek. She ran a fingertip down his nose and traced the long line of his jaw. She watched him carefully to see if anything she was doing was keeping him from sleep, but he remained still and apparently serene, broad chest rising and falling regularly. She none-the-less stilled her fingers at the corner of his mouth, wondering if perhaps the touch she longed to give him would be too sensitive. 

She returned to the gentle, repetitive motion of brushing his hair from his temple for some time until she, too, felt relaxed, and she felt confident Terra had finally surrendered to sleep. She drew back her hand and marveled for a moment at how beautiful he was, and how much she loved him. 

She also knew that he would now be waiting for her, somewhere in his dreams. She took a deep breath; it was time to try the dream dive.

As close as they were in bed, using a keyblade would take some arrangement, but at least going into the unknown as they were, she wasn’t sure she should try unlocking Terra’s heart without it. Laying on her left side, she raised her right hand to the ceiling and summoned Stormfall, a white glow accompanying its arrival and illuminating the room like a flash of lighting. 

She lowered her arm to her side and pointed the blade sharply up between them, toward Terra’s chest. It felt a little awkward in the moment, but she felt the connection would work, and then the keyblade disappear into the Realm of Sleep with her.

Unlocking hearts always took a bit of care, and using magical intervention with a heart was not something to undertake lightly. Even though she had unlocked the very heart of the Land of Departure, this particular activity was still never one she had completed before. Any time she could see someone’s light, she could make a connection to their heart, and the more she knew someone, generally the easier it became. Terra, therefore, should have felt very easy, and, indeed, she could sense his heart as easily as she could sense her own. His light was warm, strong, steady, and familiar. 

She was caught with a brief wave of emotion of how much she had missed him. The Wayfinder had connected her to a bit of him, like a tiny crystalline reflection, but it was nothing like being here with him now. It was like feeling the sun, the real sun, on her face after her years in the dark.

There was a flash of her own fears and misfortunes, manifesting themselves like little tendrils of darkness. She wasn’t especially afraid of the darkness, at least now, and mentally waved it aside. They had been through so much, surely she knew by now that light would prevail. 

But recognizing the darkness helped her see it lurking around Terra’s heart, too. That was the bit that was unfamiliar about his heart; all that lost time and pain, self-doubt and fear. She couldn’t take it away, but the more she could share her light with him, the brighter they both would shine.

Like getting the last tumbler in the lock, Aqua could feel her connection to Terra. She felt proud of his courage, impressed with his skill, confident in his loyalty, fond of his wit, charmed by his kindness, and the thousand other things that made her love him. But there was that tiny bit of the unknown… and it drew her in, too. She knew him, she loved him, and she could unlock his heart.

A brilliant white light grew in the room between them, bright enough to be blinding.

And then everything turned pitch black and the world dropped out from beneath Aqua.

She was falling. 

She struggled a bit to orient herself and face down, arms and legs spread wide to catch the air. She could feel the rough fluttering of her sleeves and skirts, air cool on her shoulders, realizing in the darkness that she was again wearing her normal, everyday clothing.

She had clearly entered an enchanted realm, so she must have been successful in entering the Realm of Sleep. Despite the enveloping darkness, it didn’t feel malicious like the darkness she was accustomed to; this was more like the simple darkness of night, or of closing her eyes. Sure enough, after a few moments, she adjusted and could start to sense her surroundings.

There was a light below her, which clearly she was plummeting toward. She didn’t feel particularly concerned about the fall, partly because of her own magic, and partly because she just sensed this realm wouldn’t seriously harm her. She therefore didn’t feel the need to activate her armor, or even her glider, though she kept Stormfall at hand. Faint streaks of color began to appear through the dark, reminding her of the Lanes Between. But she also sensed patches of darkness as she fell; the passing sensation felt like Unversed or Heartless, but they may have been Nightmares. They were small and faded in and out quickly at the edges of her consciousness like fireflies, or, owing to the darkness, perhaps the inverse of fireflies. They felt without true form, but their faint presence reminded her of Yen Sid’s warnings and Chirithy’s charge. The Nightmares were, indeed, gathering.

The light below her grew stronger, and resolved into a distinct world. She was quickly approaching Castle Oblivion, the sharp green turrets like a patch of thistles from above. She directed herself toward the winding path leading toward the castle and righted herself. Her descent slowed magically as she neared the ground, and when she touched down, it was as light as a delicate first step. 

She stood once again before Castle Oblivion, and, once again, one of her friends waited for her inside its mysterious corridors. She wasted no time heading up through the great doors.

The feeling of Castle Oblivion made so much more sense to her now; she’d navigated before in the way one experiences a dream, like how she might be in a place she thought was real, but on waking, realized she didn’t know at all. The rooms and corridors were in places they didn’t belong, and if she thought too much to try to get her bearings, things would stop making sense. She just needed to trust her heart.

However, her heart also rebelled a bit from the unnatural state of the Castle. The relentlessly white, unblemished walls were so unlike the natural stone of her home. Her footsteps sounded muffled somehow, with an eerie stillness in the air. Land of Departure felt warm and welcoming, as if she should always be finding someone in the great hall, or in the kitchen, or on the grounds, even if only a handful of people lived there. Castle Oblivion carried an unnerving cold stillness, as if she was the only living thing who had ever before or would enter again the structure. 

But she knew Terra was waiting for her somewhere further on. She walked up to the first door, thought of him, and opened it. Another intense white light poured from the door, blinding enough for her to raise her hands to shield her eyes. 

When the light ebbed, she found she was unable to lower her arms, a solid surface against her, a stiff feeling in her limbs, her vision gray. Her first thought was that she had been struck with a spell, but she found small movements were possible. She then came to realize that she was, in fact, sprawled on the floor, and the weight pressing against her was her armor, with the tinted visor dimming the light.

The shades of gray resolved themselves into stark shimmering lines of black and white, and the realization hit her that she was inhabiting her armor in the Chamber of Repose. 

Terra was there, his back to her, kneeling. He seemed to be breathing hard, as if winded from a fight. 

She tried to call to him, but her words seemed stolen. She tried to get up, but the armor seemed uncooperative. She started trying to work the joints. 

Then, a familiar rasp chilled her to the core. “Why do you persist in this pointless battle?” 

Aqua craned her neck, and there past Terra, in the middle of the room, sat a figure on the glowing throne. It was not the one who called himself Xemnas, who had stolen Terra’s body, who had evidently used this room. Instead, Master Xehanort, old and bent as she had known him all those years ago, leaned on the arm of the chair, seeming almost bored.

“You know I’ll have my way, as I always do,” Xehanort continued disparagingly.

“I won’t let you hurt her again. Leave her _alone,_ ” growled Terra, arms outstretched in a protective gesture. 

“Alone indeed. She is always alone, trapped in never-ending darkness. Remember how she greeted you when we were able to find her there? The joy, the relief, dare I say, the _love_? Wouldn’t you like to see her again? See what toll the darkness has taken on her feeble light? Surely she deserves that comfort.”

Aqua’s skin crawled from Xehanort’s manipulative words. She could flex her hand and a knee, she struggled against the armor.

“I will _never_ let you find her again.” Terra seemed to find strength in his defiance. 

“The same way you would _never_ let the darkness in your heart take over? Oh, Terra, my boy, you’re such a good pupil. All that earnest strength, just wanting to make things right. I just point the way and you smash open a path. I think you may have learned to master the darkness without my encouragement, but then where would we be? We need the darkness, as is foretold. Open your heart, find Aqua in the darkness.”

Aqua managed to wrench herself off the floor in a sharp tug, reaching out toward Terra. Her breath came as a gasp, and she found she was able to say his name as she touched his back.

Terra jumped, startled and wary.

“Terra,” she said again, managing to slap at the control to dematerialize her armor. She slumped over, but reached for him.

“Aqua,” Terra whispered, fear in his voice. “No, no, no, Aqua, no. I can’t.”

“Terra,” she soothed. “This is a dream.”

“I can’t. I’m sorry.” He screwed his eyes shut, backing away. He let out a shuddering breath and went very still.

“Terra,” she pleaded, struggling to keep her voice even, “You don’t have to do this anymore. I’m here. Xehanort is gone, you won. He’s gone. I promise, he’s gone, and I’m here. ”

She reached out to touch his chest, and he opened his eyes, haunted, and unsure. He stole a quick glance over to the throne, and, sure enough, Master Xehanort had utterly vanished. Aqua grabbed one of the straps across Terra’s chest to steady him, over his heart.

“Remember,” she continued. “You went to sleep, and I was coming to find you. You’re asleep, this is your dream. This isn’t the darkness. I’m here. Please, Terra, _trust me_.”

Terra gasped and recognition seemed to flicker into his eyes. He breathed out her name and gathered her into a crushing embrace. She could feel his fast heartbeat against her, his labored breath warm on her neck. One of his hands pressed at the small of her back, pulling her close, the other wrapped around to cup her shoulder. She held him tight, reaching up a hand to gently stroke his hair. She felt his trembling ease.

“I fought so hard to keep him away from you,” he whispered against her hair. “I could always sense your light in the darkness, but once I knew I could really _find_ you, it was so hard to keep away. I’m sorry I was weak enough to let him get as close as he did, I just… I _missed_ you.”

Terra’s ardent confession, lips so close to her ear and his strong arms holding her tight, were affecting. She pulled away just enough to look at him, hand stroking his cheek. She shook her head a little, trying to convey that she didn’t blame him, and partially that she couldn’t believe the guilt he carried.

“I missed you so much. I knew it was a risk, that my vision of you and Ven was probably nothing more than the phantoms I’d seen before, but I ran towards it with my eyes open. I would’ve risked _anything_ to see you, to hear your voice again. Knowing that you weren’t lost, that you were still fighting, gave me a reason to keep going when I needed one so badly. I was _so_ alone for _so_ long.”

Terra cradled her hand on his cheek and turned his head, kissing her palm, then moving their hands over his heart.

“I didn’t want you to be alone. But I had to keep you safe.”

Aqua smiled at him. “You did. And now we’re together. You don’t have to fight anymore. You can rest.”

Terra gave a hesitant smile as he glanced around the Chamber of Repose. “Despite the name of this place… not here.”

Aqua nodded. “Let’s go.”

“Do you mean wake up?”

“Do you want to?

Terra sighed, but seemed decisive. “No. Let’s try to do what we set out to do. And besides, I don’t think I should go another night without sleep, assuming any of this is restful. So what now?”

They were no longer pressed so tightly together, but Aqua’s attention was still partially on Terra’s hand, large and warm and low on her back. “Master Yen Sid said that we would be able to change the rooms of Castle Oblivion with our memories.”

“So good memories, then?”

“Yes, that should shape the surroundings and attract helpful Spirits. And maybe try to think of somewhere that isn’t home, in case there’s some kind of paradox between the sleeping and waking reflections of the world.”

Terra glanced around. “Pleasant memories are difficult here, and that doesn’t leave much.”

Aqua shifted in his arms. “Please try.”

He seemed to search her face for a moment, then closed his eyes. 

After a moment, the characteristic off-white door with bright white door frame of Castle Oblivion shimmered into being in the wall of the chamber. 

Terra got to his feet, tugging Aqua along with him and holding her against his chest, seemingly reluctant to let go for a few breaths. He ran his hand down her arm, and they interlaced their fingers, turning toward the new door.

Another blindingly bright light briefly accompanied the transition to a new setting. The light ebbed to darkness, and for a moment, all Aqua sensed was Terra’s hand in hers. 

When her eyes adjusted, she was surprised to find herself next to Terra at the steps of Cinderella’s castle, bathed from the soft light emanating from it. Aqua could discern the strains of an orchestra playing a waltz, happy voices of people enjoying a party. 

The difference of the life and joy in this world, compared to when she had last seen it frozen and broken, was striking. As she thought this, a swirl of dark energy loomed around the reflecting pool in the middle of the courtyard, followed by a splash and the appearance of a handful of frog-like creatures brandishing weapons. She recalled their pictures from the Spirit book, with the predominant blacks, purples, and red eyes indicating Nightmares.

Fighting creatures in the darkness was instinctual. Aqua summoned Stormfall, glad to find that her keyblade obeyed her in the Realm of Sleep. 

Aqua was already aiming a toss and let her keyblade fly as she saw the flash of Terra materializing his own keyblade. 

“I’ve got this,” she said as Stormfall returned to her, banishing the first frog back to whatever non-corporeal existence Nightmares took in the Realm of Sleep. The creatures moved quickly, but Stormfall was good at finding its target as she sent it a second time. The battle was over nearly as soon as it had begun, and she stood alert next to Terra for a moment. 

When gentle sounds returned to the courtyard, she let Stormfall vanish and turned her attention to Terra. His stance was tense, still holding Earthshaker. 

Aqua realized this was the first time Terra had seen a threat that wasn't Xehanort or one his vessels since being returned to himself. She touched his arm delicately and he seemed to snap back from whatever thoughts he was lost in, his keyblade disappearing. She gave him a careful, questioning look, and he passed his hand over his face, back into his hair.

“You know,” he began, somewhat self-consciously, “I picked Cinderella’s world because I saw you here. Back… before everything. Things started going wrong as soon as I left home, but then I got here, and I felt better, and I saw you. But I was so caught up in my own head and lies I didn’t know about… guess I’ve still got some nightmares after all.”

Aqua took both his hands in hers and smiled up at him encouragingly, warmed by his words. “Even with the nightmares, I’ve got good memories here, too. I saw you here twice, actually. Once in the real world, like you said, and once in the darkness. You called out to me from right there,” she said, glancing at the stairs. Terra squeezed her hands gently and she squeezed back. “Do you remember what you told me when I saw you in the foyer?” she prompted.

Aqua could sense a change in him, getting a handle on his misgivings. He nodded and met her gaze with sincerity in his eyes. “A powerful enough dream will always be enough to light the darkness.”

Her breath caught for a moment, the warm light of the castle and the cool light of the stars laid beautifully on Terra’s features. 

Aqua glanced back toward the reflecting pool, blushing. “See? Good dreams.”

Terra exhaled slightly, edging toward the pool, scanning the water for Spirits. “So do you think we do anything in particular for Dream Eaters to show up?”

“Probably not just fighting the Nightmares.” Aqua considered this as the music from the castle shifted to a lively tune.

“Would you like to go to the ball?” Terra asked. His tone was light, half a joke, but the question was genuine. He gestured grandly toward the staircase.

She chuckled. “I suppose we could. I accept your invitation, with pleasure,” she replied, affecting a faux formal tone and lifting her skirts in a curtsy. “Though we’re not really dressed for it.”

“Ah, m’lady, I may have a solution for that.” Terra summoned his keyblade and considered it a moment. “I’m not sure about this, but I saw Cinderella’s Godmother do some magic, and it might work?”

“I met her, she told me to trust in dreams. I guess since this _is_ a dream? Try it.”

Terra nodded, pointed his keyblade at her, and whispered something inaudible.

Aqua found herself surrounded by swirls of glittering stardust, ruffling and raining down against her and her clothes. When the magic settled, she found herself suited for the occasion in a ballgown, full skirt fluffed out in layers of blue silk. She stepped closer to the calm pool in the courtyard to catch her reflection. Her shoulders were bare, arms adorned by a short ruffle of sheer silver lace, with equally delicate fingerless lace gloves. Her bodice was black silk, a matching ribbon tied around her neck, with her keyblade wielder’s mark hanging at her throat like a pendant. Her hair was tucked up into a wreath, held in place with small white flowers and sparkling jeweled pins. She swayed and swished the skirt back and forth, admiring the movement and play of light of the fabrics. 

“That’s quite the spell,” she laughed to reflection. “Is this what it was supposed to do?”

Aqua turned and saw Terra staring wide-eyed, his cheeks bright red. “I… I think so,” he managed. “Cinderella wanted a fancy dress for the ball, I thought I could get you one, too. I didn’t know it was going to look quite… like... that.” 

Aqua giggled, twirling. “It’s better for dancing than fighting, I think.” She wasn’t sure about swinging a keyblade in the bodice, and the dress felt a bit awkward from width, but she took a few quick steps and found the movement surprisingly fluid. Perhaps it was the magic of the dress. Then again, she was also already used to fighting in a corset and floating skirts. “It certainly fits the occasion, anyway; it’s very pretty.”

“Yes,” Terra responded with presumably as much elegance as he could muster. His cheeks were still charmingly pink.

“So what about you?” she asked.

“What about me?”

She gestured to his ensemble. She was so accustomed to seeing Terra in his customary silhouette that she could hardly imagine otherwise, though it would be fun to try. “Shouldn’t you dress for the ball, too?”

This did nothing for the state of his flushed complexion. “...I’m not sure it works that way.”

“Surely you should try. Besides, all dreams should have something a _little_ silly. In a good way, hopefully.”

He shook his head, but relented. “Fine, let me try.”

Terra held his keyblade up, but the stardust again made its way to Aqua. When it settled, Terra averted his eyes, and Aqua checked the reflecting pool again.

Her gown had become notably more embellished, the black and blue colors merging with an overall intricate brocade pattern studded with black pearls, the skirt gained a flounce of sheer white organza embroidered with tiny stars, and she wore a delicate silver tiara with light blue stones. She twinkled as she moved.

Aqua held back a laugh. “Please let me, I’m not sure I could handle anything fancier. What’s the spell?”

Terra mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo.”

Aqua recalled the Godmother casting the spell on her to make her small but had not realized it was the same spell Terra was using; apparently the results depended on intent. The words were delightful, she could see the whimsy in the spell. As she summoned Stormfall, Terra put his hand over his face.

Trusting in some innate magic talent in herself and the incantation, Aqua tried the spell.

The stardust rained around Terra as it had for her, and when it settled, he was wearing a dark frock coat, tastefully trimmed in gold braid at the sleeves and epaulettes. He sported a blue cravat and coordinated blue and grey brocade waistcoat, which did wonders for his eyes. A red sash crossed his chest, his badge was pinned on his jacket like a medal of military honors, and he had a pair of fitted tan trousers with tall black riding boots.

Aqua admired the results of the spell as Terra shifted his shoulders, attempting to stretch in the layers of fabric.

“Could you have made this any tighter?” Terra grumbled.

Aqua raised her eyebrows, grinned at the fitted tailoring, and brandished Stormfall. “Would you like me to try?” 

“Funny,” he replied, deadpan, though he did crack a grin.

“I think the spell mostly does what it wants. If it’s any consolation, I think it did very well.” She admired the broad sweep of his shoulders and the clean cut lines of the suit, even though his torso was hidden more than usual. 

He shrugged his shoulders again. “I like the boots,” he conceded. 

“Just don’t step on my feet.”

Terra tilted his head. “Why would I do that?”

Aqua gestured toward the castle, the music in the air, and swished her wide skirt. “I can’t waltz alone.”

“Oh.” Terra looked at his feet. “I’m not sure I waltz.”

“Of course you can. Don’t you remember learning martial arts like a dance?” Aqua thought of training sessions, positions, step sequences. 

“Our fighting styles are a little different, Aqua.”

“I know, I was there. I’ve seen how you move, your strength, balance, grace…”

“You think I’m _graceful?”_ he scoffed.

“ _Yes_ ,” she grinned, giving him a little nudge.

He huffed out a laugh, then extended his hand in an elegant sweep. “All right. I can’t promise a _good_ waltz, but… shall we dance?”

She stepped close enough that her skirt brushed his boots. “Here, take my hands. This one here, and this one…” She found she had to take a step closer still as she placed his hand at her waist. 

“In public?” 

Aqua giggled as she settled her hand on his shoulder. “Terra, we’re in an empty courtyard in _your dream_ , what could possibly be _less_ public?” She further considered their sleeping arrangement in the Realm of Light, and the yards of fabric between them felt absurd.

“I mean, usually. It’s just that everything else about this place seems kind of formal and stiff.” She felt him shift his shoulders again.

“One of the things I learned in traveling is that, world to world, some things don’t really change. People live their lives, laugh, cry, love each other, more or less the same way.”

“Most people.”

Aqua nodded, briefly considering notable exceptions. “Anyway, it’s a three-step dance. I’m not sure you can see your own feet past this skirt, let alone mine, but let’s try.”

Aqua hummed three notes with the music and swayed in time, stepped back and tugged Terra gently along with her, then changed direction. He bumped into her and stumbled a bit, laughing, but got the hang of it soon enough. 

Once he relaxed into the rhythm, they smiled at one another. It didn’t take Aqua long to lose sense of time and place, in Terra’s arms, feeling his hand steady against her back even though her boned bodice. She studied the shade of his eyes, dark in the starlight. The fingers of their clasped hands shifted lightly, the tiniest movements as gentle caresses against her skin. 

Aqua cleared her throat, feeling warm as the music swelled. “Should we go inside and join the party?” She did not especially want to go to the party anymore.

Terra looked at their intertwined hands, up the steps of the castle, then back to her with a show of contemplation. “They might only be figments of my dream, but I’d still rather not have an audience for this.”

He raised their arms and guided her under and through, and she did a did a twirl with a little laugh. 

“You’re doing so well, though,” she observed, beaming.

But then his arm returned and tightened around her waist, pulling her close to his chest, and her breath caught. His eyes were intense as she met his gaze. “That’s not really what I meant.”

Pretense dropped with his gaze, eyes settling on her lips. She felt herself flush as her heart beat wildly in a frozen moment. She felt relieved, eager, a touch anxious. She leaned closer, feeling his breath, her eyes fluttering shut…

And a bone-rattling clang from the castle's great clock overhead made Aqua startle and Terra straighten abruptly.

Aqua let out a heavy breath, encircled in Terra’s arms, palms against his chest. She felt him sigh equally deeply.

The music had stopped, the castle’s doors burst open, and well-dressed ball attendees began to flood into the garden with laughter and merriment as the clock chimed again. 

The magic of the moment broken, Terra ducked his head, blushing furiously, and Aqua took a step back, running her hands along his arms to take his hands again. Though she was sure she was embarrassingly flushed, she smiled up at him encouragingly, and he sheepishly smiled back.

The clock continued to chime loudly, so Aqua tugged at Terra’s hands. “C’mon. Let’s go somewhere else.”

She was aiming for the courtyard gates and the privacy of the forest beyond when the gate shimmered white, turning into a Castle Oblivion doorway. They exchanged glances, then opened the door to the next world.

* * *

As the pervasive white light began to face into color and shape, a silver swirl of stardust lingered around Terra. Cinderella’s Godmother’s spell seemed to refresh itself, and he found himself wearing new inscrutable clothing.

The fit was different from his clothing in Cinderella’s world, feeling perhaps looser but also more bunched-up; there were still several layers. He looked down and saw he wore a doublet with full, slashed sleeves, a chain of gold and red gems running from shoulder to shoulder, with his badge as the central link. He wore breeches and soft leather boots laced over the knee. A plume from a soft hat obscured his vision; he removed the hat and tossed it somewhere over his shoulder, ruffling his hand through his hair as he looked around. 

Aqua stood next to him, also dressed anew. She wore a blue dress with smooth lines and characteristic white and black accents, a wide square neck and little poofed sleeves. She wore a type of wide headband lined with pearls, and her badge sat on a cord in the hollow of her throat. He itched to put his hands around her small waist and draw her close, explore the long elegant sweep of her neck…

But then he paid attention to where they were.

Terra hadn’t especially been concentrating on his memories when the new door appeared, and perhaps that was to blame for the less-than-ideal location. He was standing next to Aqua in the dimly lit interior of the mirror chamber in the Dwarf Woodlands. 

“Less of a good memory,” he grimaced. This certainly wouldn’t have been any sort of memory he’d pick intentionally.

His cheeks still felt warm. He had really just tried to kiss Aqua. And Aqua seemed to want to kiss him back. But then everything was loud and busy and just… too much. He’d really just been thinking about being _somewhere else_ , not _specifically where_ else. But heading toward the forest, toward a meadow, maybe like the Dwarf Woodlands, somewhere bright and pleasant where he could wrap Aqua in his arms and kiss her and _kiss her_ …

Perhaps the mirror chamber was his unintentional reflection of his disappointment?

He sighed.

But Aqua _had_ seemed to want to kiss him back.

She was currently looking around, frowning at the room, and took a step closer to him. “Did you have to fight the spirit in the mirror, too?” 

Terra remembered the haunted, droning mask. 

“Yeah. But that wasn’t nearly as disturbing as the Queen.” Terra reflected upon meeting her, and how she’d thought that a fair exchange for information was asking Terra to cut out an innocent girl’s heart. 

“I didn’t meet anyone down here. Just shadows.” She shivered.

Terra wrapped his arm around her. “Good that you missed the Queen. Considering that the mirror said that Snow White was pretty and her solution was _murder_ , I’d hate to think of how she would have reacted to you.”

Aqua looked up at him with confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Seriously, Aqua?” he asked, then gently took her by the shoulders and turned her to face the mirror. Fairest in the land, in any sense of the word, beautiful or just: Aqua fit the bill.

She seemed surprised, blushing at their reflection. She hovered her hands over her new dress, but turned away from the mirror quickly, perhaps uncomfortably, looking back to him.

“Okay, maybe we don’t need the cursed mirror as a reference,” Terra considered. He called his keyblade and aimed a fire spell at the nearby navy sky-printed curtain, burning away the tie-back and letting the mirror be covered. He unexpectedly felt a bit of relief. Not only did he not want to remember the mirror spirit, but it turned out he didn’t especially want to see his own reflection either.

“Besides,” Terra continued, shaking off haunted memories and sending away his keyblade, “I’m sure whatever weird alchemy the Queen was doing couldn’t hold a candle to your magic. She absolutely would have tried to kill you, but,” Terra shrugged, “you could’ve taken her.”

Aqua gave him a small smile. “It’s awfully subjective, anyway. Maybe the mirror spirit wouldn’t have been impressed. It didn’t see any of my gowns,” she joked.

Terra rubbed his thumb over the back of Aqua’s hand. “Not that you haven’t looked very…” he sought appropriately adoring words as he made a sweeping gesture along the length of her, “ _good_ , it doesn’t make _that_ much of a difference. You’re still _you_. You’re beautiful, and I don’t just mean how you look.” His cheeks felt warm again, so he continued on a slightly different track, gesturing to himself and his odd clothes. “Unlike this, which frankly looks ridiculous.”

Aqua bit her lip, the corners turned up into a smile. “I don’t know, I think it’s quite becoming. You look nice dressed up.”

“I don’t usually look nice?” he teased, feigning affront. 

“You know very well how nice you look.”

An unwelcome thought lurched forward again in Terra’s mind, and he frowned.

Aqua must have noted his change in mood and gently touched his arm. “What is it?”

Terra momentarily considered brushing it off, to recapture the light air with Aqua, but maybe talking about it would help. He sighed. “How nice I look. I think the first time I _actually_ knew that was realizing how vain Xehanort was about his appearance when he was… how did Ienzo phrase it? Wearing my body like a lion pelt?”

Aqua tightened her grip on his arm.

Terra continued, “We grew up so sheltered. I… suspected that you might like the look of me, and anything beyond that didn’t matter to me very much. And then afterwards… well. It was hard not to think that if I wasn’t much to look at, maybe he wouldn’t have…”

Terra’s words stalled, but it was at least partially because Aqua had quietly wrapped her arms around him, nestling her cheek against his heart. He smiled down at the top of her head. “Anyway, you still cared for me back when I was homely and scrawny.”

Aqua’s voice was muffled against his chest. “Scrawny? A little. Homely? Never.”

He placed his hand on her back. “Not to you.”

“Not to anyone, but especially not to me.” Her arms tightened around him a little. “I don’t like that he made you _regret_ being young and strong and beautiful.”

“It’s… overwhelming, sometimes, to have it all back again. But I guess I learned better what is essential to my self, beyond features and limbs and strength. The part, I think, that you always saw.”

“And loved,” she added softly. 

The ease with which she could say that was fortifying; loving him was a gentle statement of fact. Terra took a breath as he considered acknowledging this, but it came out in a huff. “I still don’t think I’ll ever like mirrors very much.”

Aqua raised her head and studied his face, lifting her hand to run her finger along his jaw. “Your loss.”

He chuckled as she smiled at him. “If I ever need my vanity petted, all I need to do is see the way you look at me.”

“Is it that obvious?” she asked, and her cheeks took on a becoming shade of pink.

“Or I just know you too well,” he said, unable to resist running his thumb along her cheek. Her skin was soft and warm. If they were going to continue along this track, he’d rather be elsewhere. “Let’s get out of here. There’s a whole nice world of wishing wells and flowering glades outside of this dank place.”

Outside the mirror chamber, the vault smelled of mold, stagnant water, and acrid unknown elixirs. As they approached the waterway, Aqua attempted to hitch up her skirt.

“I don’t think this will travel well in the water,” she observed as she struggled with the layers. They bunched and slipped and generally created a messy armful.

“I could carry you?” Terra suggested. “Get up on my back?”

Aqua laughed. “A piggyback ride? It’s been a while.” 

Terra remembered doing this frequently when they were little, but it had dropped off as with some other things as they matured. The last time he could recall, Aqua had thoroughly trounced him in a sparring session at the training ground. He had given her a piggyback ride for a victory lap back to the castle. He hadn’t minded losing so much.

She stepped closer. “What if there are Nightmares?”

Terra shrugged. “Shoot spells at them and try not to fall off.”

Terra heard rustling, a press of fabric against his low back, and then the warmth of Aqua, wrapping an arm around his neck. Then he felt her leg hitched high against his waist, and he momentarily forgot how to breathe.

This was either the worst or the best idea he’d ever had, and he’d had a share of bad ideas.

Aqua’s slender leg was clad in a black silk knee-high stocking as usual. Little blue ribbons served as garters at the knees. He hooked his elbow under her knee, and she adjusted a little more behind him. There was at least two yards of fabric bunched between them at the waist and torso, but her arms and legs and, notably, hips, were reasonably flush against him. 

He swallowed as she placed her other arm around his neck and tightened her grip. He stooped a bit as she gave a little hop, and he successfully hooked his other elbow under her knee, with a little bit of shifting. She wasn’t difficult to carry.

Especially since she was helping-- _helping?_ \--by tightening her legs at his waist. 

Terra took a steadying breath and tried to think about anything other than Aqua’s bare thighs around his waist. 

Her cheek felt very warm pressed against his. She shifted a bit, and Terra again considered his choices. He had utterly forgotten why they were doing this, and he wasn’t sure it mattered anymore.

“You okay?” she asked as she settled in. Her voice was quiet, right against his ear. He could feel her short breaths against his back.

All he could manage was a single nod. 

_A whole sunny world of rolling hills and soft meadowgrass to lie on and very much not a dank dungeon with slimy walls and skeletons. Get a move on._

Terra carefully waded into the waterway. His boots were not great for this, but actually better than his usual wide-legged trousers. A formerly closed gate had opened, creating a connecting path with water cascading down short steps.

As they turned the corner into a high-ceilinged room, Terra’s footing slipped and he nearly went down on his knees, catching himself in time. Aqua’s grip tightened.

When he looked ahead again, swirls of darkness skittered across the water. Strange creatures like giant seahorses rose from the depths, floating in midair as if still underwater, red eyes glowing ominously.

Aqua braced her left arm across Terra’s chest and summoned Stormfall with a flash to the right. 

She called a shockingly advanced blizzard spell he’d never seen before; the icy explosion froze over the waterway entirely, frosting the water, the walls, and even the ceiling, and leaving absolutely no trace of the Nightmares. 

Terra let out a startled laugh, his breath coming out as a cloud. “What was _that_?”

Her breath was warm against his cheek. “Oh... I had a lot of time to practice.”

The years of fighting Unversed, Heartless, Nobodies, now Nightmares… 

_Good thoughts._

They needed good thoughts to call the Dream Eaters so they could have some peace for a change. 

He felt the chill in the room, but Aqua felt warm and solid against his back. “You’re going to teach me how to do that, right?”

“Of course.”

Terra went to forge ahead, but found his feet unwilling to move. He looked down to the frigid water and found he had, in fact, been frozen solidly into place. “I do have one complaint about the spell,” he said, nodding downward.

“Oops. Here, let me down.” 

Terra did not especially want to lose the press of her body, but she did as she asked. She kept her left hand on his shoulder for balance on the ice and leaned down to cast a carefully modulated fire spell. Terra found himself standing in a crater of tepid water, condensation wafting up around them.

Distant bits of the spell began to fade, and soon the nearby waterfalls were trickling fresh water onto the surface of the ice.

Unfortunately, as they tried to move forward through the fog around the crater, the layer of water on top of the slick ice made footing precarious. Aqua started to lose her balance, and Terra’s footing went, too. He grabbed for her, twisting, landing partially on her skirts but partially on the ice, feet in the water, with Aqua landing mostly against his chest. 

Breathless, he took stock. Nothing serious, just winded. A little sore. “Oof.”

“Are you okay?” Aqua asked, a hand on his chest, the other at the back of his head. She sounded concerned, but was also laughing a bit about the situation.

He gave a nod, shifting amid cold, wet fabric to get a look at her. “You?”

She nodded in return, checking him over regardless until she was seemingly satisfied and met his gaze. Her fingers continued to run through the hair at the back of his head. 

Tendrils of her hair had fallen loose onto her forehead and Terra reached up to brush them back. His fingers lingered on her cheek.

Aqua dipped her head, their faces just a breath apart. 

Terra’s hesitance to kiss Aqua in a less-than-ideal location was faltering. Perhaps kissing in some musty underground waterway was needed to banish the Nightmares. After all, he had every intention of kissing her at every opportunity going forward.

He closed his eyes... 

And with a startled cry, Aqua pulled back and rolled aside.

Suddenly alert, Terra put his arm above Aqua and summoned Earthshaker. 

Another one of those strange seahorse creatures, this one a cheerful royal blue, with a soft, rounded heart insignia on its chest, floated a short distance away. It seemed as startled as they were.

Aqua put a restraining hand on Terra’s arm. “It’s a Spirit! It’s okay. It just surprised me. It bumped into me.”

Terra dematerialized his keyblade and Aqua extended her hand carefully. The Spirit seemed pleased, glided over Terra, and nudged against Aqua’s hand.

“A Spirit then, huh?”

It nuzzled against Aqua’s hand eagerly as she petted it. “It’s sweet.”

“I’m not wild about its timing,” Terra sighed. “But I can’t fault its taste.”

Aqua blushed, and the seahorse Spirit circled her excitedly, giving her gentle headbutts. “I hope I didn’t hurt it with the ice spell.”

“It doesn’t seem so.” 

“The book from Yen Sid said you’re supposed to bond with them.”

“It seems pretty smitten.” Terra couldn’t blame it. The Spirit practically danced in the air, fins floating in a way that almost reminded him of Aqua’s sleeves. He liked it. 

At the Spirit’s nudging, they both attempted to get up. The layer of water on top of the ice was perilously slick. The Spirit was decidedly helpful, though, floating above the surface, and they each placed a hand on its back for balance.

As they wobbled on the ice, Terra recalled that he was dreaming, and he wished his own mind would give him a break.

At the thought, at the far end of the room, a white Castle Oblivion door shimmered into existence. The Spirit pushed them on encouragingly. 

Terra tried to summon pleasant memories as they approached the door, but mostly found his thoughts turning back to how close he and Aqua had come to a kiss, again. Not that he hadn't thought about kissing her on a fairly regular basis since he'd started thinking about kissing anyone at all. But the moments of tension between them had only continuously escalated in intensity since their return from their respective exiles, and here in the aftermath it was difficult to think of anything else.

If he was to will any future dreams into being with his thoughts, then surely they would be shaped by the strongest wishes of his heart.

* * *

When Aqua stopped shielding her eyes from the typical white flash of a new world, she saw the Fairy Godmother’s magic spell had left her with trailing sleeves at her forearm lined in white silk. The flared sleeves were a part of her new blue silk dress, long and slender, delicately and subtly patterned with silver thread. A black leather belt sat at her waist, her mark hanging from it like a pendant. She felt her hair was tied up again with ribbons and pearls. The yards of fabric in her dress swished softly as she looked around.

Thick, twisting vines with thorns like knives surrounded her; Maleficent’s Forest of Thorns surrounding the castle in Aurora’s world. She frowned and gathered up her skirt to keep from snagging.

Her new Spirit friend hovered nearby, seemingly protective.

Terra was not at her side.

“Terra?” she called. “Where are you?”

She heard a rustling, followed by an unhappy grunt from Terra off to her left. “Stuck!” 

He wasn’t far, but he was trapped within a tangle of enchanted brambles. She could see his clothes had changed, too: a new black doublet, this one quilted, with one shiny metal sleeve and pauldron of armor on his left arm. His trousers were leather, and reasonably snug.

He had managed to call his keyblade to attempt to get out, but every motion seemed to twist the thorns tighter. 

“Can I help?” Aqua asked. “As I recall, these vines don’t like fire.”

Terra considered this. “If you can get me a barrier, yeah. With your last spell in mind, I’m not sure that being in an inferno of thorns is preferable to being stuck in thorns that aren’t on fire.”

“I can do it. Get ready.”

Aqua held out her hand for her Spirit, who had been blowing bubbles that popped on the thorns. The Spirit came close and nuzzled against her legs. She then summoned her keyblade and held it at the ready. Terra’s barrier would catch some brambles in with him, but it was better than nothing.

She threw her left hand forward and a shining lattice of protection shimmered around Terra, then used Stormfall to call for fire.

The thicket ahead of her raged into a swirl of flame, and all she could see for a moment was red. The farthest vines slithered away from the fire like frightened snakes. As the blaze cleared, the remains of vines smoldered in piles around Terra, unsinged, standing on a patch of green with thorns stuck to his clothes.

Her Spirit had reared in alarm at the flame, but cautiously moved forward, circling the clearing.

Terra gave a little shake, and while some branches fell away, others remained stubbornly stuck. 

“Are you hurt?” she asked as she picked her way forward, taking care not to catch her trailing dress on thorns or flame. 

“Just… irritated.” Terra tugged at a vine wrapped around his arm, then pulled his hand back sharply from the bite of a torn. He grumbled at it, huffed, then took to the laces in the front of his doublet and buckles of armor, shrugging out of the whole thing, armored sleeve and all. It thudded on the ground, and Terra stood in a loose white undershirt. He breathed a sigh of relief.

This simple new appearance gave Aqua pause, her fingers itching to feel Terra’s warmth and strength through the light layer. 

She glanced down and saw another problem with the vines that had managed to sit within her protective bubble. She pointed her keyblade at Terra’s feet, shooting a carefully aimed, smaller fire spell at two vines twisting their way up Terra’s legs. They loosened their grip and shriveled back into the ground, though not without leaving scratches on the leather. 

His clothing seemed to have protected him well enough, but she could see angry red scratches on his hands and cheeks. She stepped closer and took his hands in hers, palms up. 

Terra’s voice was quiet. “Aqua, it’s a dream, you don’t have to…”

“Yes I do.” She whispered a healing spell and watched the wounds on his hands heal with a swirl of light. She studied his face, which looked as unblemished and beautiful as usual.

“Charming as this is,” Terra turned his hands to capture hers, brushing his thumbs across her knuckles and making her blush, “We’re not having much luck with happy memories, are we? I don’t know what brought us here, or where here even is.”

Aqua blinked with confusion. “You don’t recognize this place? This isn’t your memory?”

“If it is, it’s not a conscious one. Which I guess is possible, since I’m asleep.”

“It might be mine? I know this place. This is Aurora’s world, after Maleficent cast a spell to keep Philip from the castle.”

Terra frowned. “I was thinking about new journeys, but nothing like this. Is it a problem if you’re influencing my dreams? What does that mean?”

“I don’t know,” Aqua answered truthfully. “Maybe we’re… close.”

Aqua could see concern and confusion in Terra’s face, but there was also a softness in his eyes. “Close to what?”

“Close to… each other?” She meant emotionally, but they were, indeed, physically very close to each other, and Aqua had trouble finding the words she wanted. “Close to doing what we set out to do?” She had partially forgotten what they set out to do; what she wanted to do was run her hands up Terra’s arms, lace her fingers behind his head, and pull him down to meet her lips.

Aqua took a steadying breath and tried to wring out a rational thought. 

“It seems like only choosing happy memories doesn’t work very well. We’re going to have to face things we don’t like, too. But we’re in this together. I think I know why we got this memory.”

“Why?” he whispered. His face was inches from hers. 

“This is where we were in the Realm of Darkness when we spoke. We were lost in darkness. But we found each other, and there was light, and hope, and…”

“Love.”

The word hung between them, and neither of them so much as took a breath for a moment.

And then a cold, dark shadow fell across them.

In an emotional burst of reflexive magic, Aqua spread her hands wide, a shining lattice of protective magic shimmering powerfully around them. She didn’t even look to see what unwelcome creature had shown up this time; she kept her eyes on Terra.

Terra actually laughed through his frustration, hanging his head. “We should probably take care of that Nightmare.”

“It can _wait.”_ Aqua’s jaw was set, partially from concentration on the barrier, but mostly from resentment.

“Aqua,” Terra said tenderly, voice carrying weighted emotions, cradling her face in his hands. “I think you and I have reached a point where actions are going to be a lot more eloquent than words, and that’s not something I want to address in any kind of hurry.”

Aqua’s concentration slipped, and the barrier flickered and weakened around them. _Oh._

Terra leaned down and gave her forehead a small, soft kiss. “So hold that thought and let’s fight this thing.” 

Terra gave her a grin, and somewhere amid the exhaustion and longing, she could also see excitement and hope. 

Aqua could feel the hot flush of her cheeks. She intentionally shifted her thoughts away from everything Terra had implied and let the barrier fall, determined. “Okay.”

As the light shimmered away, Aqua was surprised to find the back of a huge lion in brilliant flame colors taking up a protective stance between them and the Nightmare. It let loose a ferocious roar. It appeared that Terra’s Sprit had found him.

Aqua’s seahorse Spirit floated next to it, ready to charge.

Terra and Aqua summoned their keyblades, nodded to each other, and turned to the Nightmare.

It was a dragon, or at least a Nightmare in the general shape of a dragon. It was enormous; it could certainly fill the great hall in the Land of Departure. Aqua vaguely recalled dragons in the Dream Eater book, but this one looked unique. Its shape was more like Maleficent’s dragon form, but with sharply curving horns like half-hearts and a Nightmare emblem prominently on its dark red belly. Angry red eyes stared at the four of them, sharp purple claws and spines sprouting from its dark scaled body. It thrashed a spiked tail and flapped giant bat-like wings. It reared up, and when it came down again, a great shockwave shot back toward Aqua and the others. 

Terra stepped forward, shoulders back, standing tall. With a cry, he slammed Earthshaker’s blade to the ground, a series of boulders springing up around them in a semicircle, disrupting the shockwave. He swung his keyblade again, and the earth reformed into a faultline, heading toward the dragon. 

With a great flap of its wings, it tried to take off, but Terra had another attack ready; small meteors rained from the sky, grounding the Nightmare.

Aqua smiled at Terra; it was good to see him using his powers, and he wasn’t in this alone. The dragon didn’t seem so easily defeated, but she knew they could do it together.

Her seahorse Spirit had taken to the sky as soon as it was clear, going for the dragon’s head with bubbles. The lion spirit charged, hitting it with a shuddering blast.

Frustrated, the dragon thrashed, smoke curled from its snout and jaws, about to breathe fire.

Aqua called for the frozen powers of water and shot an icy blast at the Nightmare. It recoiled, but shook off the frost.

Terra and the lion attacked from the ground, while Aqua and her Spirit took up ranged attacks. Aqua aimed spells at weak points while the Nightmare thrashed, flapping its wings and picking up debris. She sent another barrier over to Terra as he finished a spinning strike.

The dragon was weakening, but they were, too. Aqua’s Spirit came close and formed a bubble, and she nodded to the seahorse, though first she had to rearrange her skirt. She quickly hiked it up around her legs and tied it, then the two closed in, a barrage of offensive bubbles slowing the Nightmare. 

Terra’s lion headbutted him, and the pair moved to attack. The lion moved so fast that it seemed to be everywhere, glowing auras of itself left in its wake. Terra followed with deliberate determination, his strikes were beautiful in execution and shudderingly powerful.

A violent swipe from the dragon caught them unaware and sent them all tumbling back in a pile. Aqua found herself halfway in Terra’s arms. He was out of breath and disheveled from battle; the loose white shirt bared some of his chest. 

The Spirits nudged at them helpfully, and Aqua found Terra’s hand, squeezing it tight.

It was time to be finished with the Nightmare.

Terra and Aqua stood side by side and held out their keyblades aloft. She could feel the energy between them and around them. Together, they called upon the light.

An attack of brilliant light blinded the battlefield. 

A smoky blanket of darkness rolled out as the Nightmare vanished.

The darkness dissipated, but dim light remained. In its wake, Aqua and Terra found themselves and their Spirits in a new location altogether--a cave. Aqua recognized the scribbles on the cave wall as being in Sora and Riku’s world.

Terra stood next to her, still breathing heavily from the battle. He was back to his normal clothing: wide trousers, tight shirt, sleeve of armor. “What happened?”

“We… won,” Aqua replied haltingly. She didn’t question their ability to defeat Nightmares, though the circumstances were a bit of a surprise. She wasn’t entirely sure what was happening; perhaps dream logic was at play. 

She was hesitant, but the Spirits then nudged them onward, and soon the bright, warm light of sunset on the sparkling water and the soft sandy beach spread out calmly before them. The ocean breeze ruffled Aqua’s parted skirts and loose sleeves.

Aqua took a few steps in the light. They really had accomplished what they set out to do. They had made friends with Spirits, they helped them battle a huge Nightmare, and now here she was with Terra… and her feelings for Terra were laid bare. They had earned a respite.

She reached her hand out for him, and he took it in both his own, raising her fingers to his lips. “I guess we finally get some pleasant dreams until I wake up,” Terra mused, and Aqua felt a welcome thrill along her arm and down her spine. Her cheeks felt very warm, and she didn’t think it was from the tropical sun.

The solid, bright rainbow that was Terra’s lion bumped playfully into his side, tangling around their legs and knocking them together into a sandy pile. It licked his face, and Terra fended it off by stroking its mane. The lion responded with happy, rumbling purrs.

Not to be outdone, Aqua’s seahorse joined the fray, bubbling insistently until Aqua stroked its snout and neck. 

They giggled for a bit, enjoying the sound of laughter, the rush of the waterfall and the crash of the surf. Terra’s lion rolled over for belly rubs, which Aqua found delightfully soft and warm, and Aqua’s seahorse nuzzled Terra until he petted it, as well. 

Seeing Terra smile without reservation filled Aqua’s heart with light. 

Terra’s lion rolled further still, settling in the sand, tail thumping gently, done with playtime. Aqua’s seahorse calmed, floating peacefully around the group. 

The Spirits seemed happy enough here; she had no doubt she’d see them again, and they would appear when needed in the future. 

Aqua looked past her Spirit and caught sight of a yellow fruit on a nearby palm tree.

“Could it be…?” She got to her knees, squinting, Terra shifting in the sand next to her. She took his hand and pulled him up with her. He contentedly followed as she summoned Stormfall, and reaching the bottom of the tree, had Terra to hold out his hand, then gave the tree trunk a solid thump.

Into Terra’s hand fell a cheerfully bright star-shaped fruit.

“Your Wayfinder fruit,” Terra marveled.

“Shall we try it?” Aqua asked.

“I’ve never had one, so I can’t remember what it tastes like.” 

“Let’s find out.”

Terra and Aqua both took a side of the fruit, breaking it in half and swapping pieces. The fruit looked ripe.

“An unbreakable connection,” Terra said, studying his piece. 

“We don’t need a piece of fruit for that.” Aqua grinned up at him and took a bite. It was deliciously sweet and juicy. She considered the flavor; or, rather, the flavor she must have been imagining. “What does yours taste like?”

Terra wiped juice from his mouth. “Mango, I think. It’s good. Yours?”

“Lychee.” Aqua wondered if she kissed him, would his mouth taste of mango.

The sun had dipped below the horizon, pink and orange hues bazing in a line between the darkening blue sky. The brightest stars were visible. It was beautiful; so, too, was Terra.

He put an arm gently around her, turning her back to his chest; he felt warm and solid as he pointed to the sky over her shoulder. “Shooting star.”

It was, of course, gone by the time she looked, but he settled his arm around her waist. She rested her head back against him and trailed her hand along his arm. She felt his breath on her neck and she smiled as she saw another twinkling meteor streak through the sky.

Followed shortly by another.

… and then another.

Far too quickly than usual.

Terra surely felt Aqua’s posture change. Uncertainly, he suggested the best. “Meteor shower?” 

Stars were falling quickly now, leaving wide swaths of darkness in their wake.

“No. Oh no.” She turned and grabbed Terra by both arms. “My time on Destiny Island, it’s not just in the Realm of Light. Most of my time here was in the Realm of Darkness. It’s my memory. When the worlds were restored… and I fell even deeper into darkness.”

From somewhere deep underground, an ominous rumble rose to the surface. The waters turned choppy. Trees began to shake. 

The wind picked up, forming a dark, swirling vortex around the island, picking up leaves and sand.

And then the ground was rocked with an awful tremor, a deep chasm opening in the bedrock under the sand. The vortex above lifted boulders. The glowing blue crystalline rock of the Realm of Darkness yawned below.

Aqua could see the Spirits on the other side of the chasm. Golden light surrounded them as their section of the island vanished into a shooting star; whatever darkness this world was falling to, the Spirits couldn’t follow. 

Terra and Aqua held onto each other. “I’m afraid this might be some of my memory, too,” Terra had to shout, even right next to her, to be heard over the earthquakes and wind. “But I’m with you!” 

Aqua squeezed him around the middle.

“We should find a doorway!” he shouted.

Aqua nodded, and Terra started to forge ahead. She stood behind him, arm around him, a solid wall of protection. 

Unfortunately, she realized he was heading toward the cave by the waterfall. 

“I don’t think we can go that way!” Aqua yelled, trying to tug him to a stop. 

A gust of wind buffeted against them as the ground gave a terrible lurch, and suddenly Aqua was no longer holding onto Terra; she suddenly didn’t even know which way was up.

She called his name as she attempted to get a barrier around herself; it flashed only long enough for her to see the darkness surrounding her. 

The island was gone.

Terra was gone.

And suddenly a familiar, dreaded icy darkness slammed into her, knocking the wind out of her, shocking her body, darkening her vision, and she knew no more.


	6. Chapter 6

“AQUA!” 

Terra had lost her. He couldn’t lose her.

He screamed her name again, but even he couldn’t hear it over the storm. 

Pinned against a rock by wind, he thought he saw an incandescent flash that might have been one of her barrier spells, but it just as quickly disappeared amid the swirling debris.

His feet weren’t on the ground.

He summoned his keyblade and tried to bend earth to his will, but he could not. 

The world stilled--for there was no longer any world. 

There was only darkness.

Terra fell. 

He looked for Aqua, for light, and below, he saw a glimmer of blue amid black.

His feet were soon on solid ground; sand again, but black this time. He stood on the dark reflection of a beach surrounded by rocks, and on some level he recognized it. Perhaps a shadowy memory, which he might have dwelled on, but he could see Aqua, tossed up in the surf. She laid still, face-down, and he felt fear in his veins colder than any ice spell.

He rushed toward her, his feet sinking in the sand and slowing him down, and he was sure he was lost in a nightmare, if he could just _wake up._

He splashed to her side and gathered her up in his arms. 

“Aqua. Aqua, come on, please…” Words tumbled from him, he willed them to be spells.

She was breathing, but she did not respond to a summoned healing spell. Her head lolled to the side, limbs limp.

He lifted her gently and carried her from the water, laying her down carefully and smoothing her wet hair.

He was truly trapped in a nightmare.

_Wake Up!_

Terra tried pinching his arm and slapping his cheeks, but he remained stubbornly stuck in the darkness. 

He tried imagining Aqua’s eyes opening, wrapping her arms around him, pulling him close…

But Aqua remained motionless on the beach. No door shimmered into being. He didn’t feel wakeful.

Terra recalled Master Yen Sid’s warning that the person who dove into the dream should not lose consciousness; it was dangerous and would lead to an enchanted sleep. Aqua would not wake on her own.

If he could just _wake up,_ perhaps she would be safe and warm and wakeful in his arms. Or perhaps he could get a Dream Eater or Yen Sid himself for assistance.

But Terra found himself no more or less capable as he might have been had he already been awake; he had no extra powers or abilities, he couldn’t summon any Spirits or cause anything to happen by force of will alone. 

Trapped by his own mind _again._

He wondered if he should kiss her. Surely that would end his nightmare, wouldn’t it? He felt his cheeks warm thinking of other dreams of the distant past, which had distinctly not been nightmares. 

But this dream was different, a conscious nightmare. What if this was part of the nightmare itself, right now? He wasn’t sure he could bear kissing her and having nothing happen, having her remain cold and unresponsive, alone in the dark. Perhaps he was in his own enchanted sleep, and _he_ was the one who needed to be kissed awake.

He had another option: he could do for her as she did for him, and dive into her dream to help her. Perhaps they could reconnect with the Spirits and move forward from there. 

Terra took a moment to settle himself, then summoned Earthshaker as he knelt next to Aqua and sought her light. Even through the darkness and in these strange circumstances, her presence was strong and familiar and comforting. It was easy to want to be with her.

A split-second intrusive fear skittered through his mind like poison, of any interaction with unlocking hearts and how horribly, tragically wrong it has all gone. 

But at the same time, Terra had made the connection, and with a heart-dropping sensation, he was falling through darkness. 

The sensation of falling was short, and for a moment the ground beneath his feet looked like blue stained glass, which dissolved away to place him on the same bleak beach he had fell to several moments ago. He realized he didn’t know what Aqua’s experience of falling into his dream was like and if this was the same; was he already inside a dream in Castle Oblivion, or had something gone wrong? Maybe because they were already asleep, unlocking her sleeping heart was different. Perhaps it had something to do with being in the Realm of Darkness. Perhaps he had done the wrong thing, or the connection hadn’t worked at all. 

But something had clearly happened, as Aqua was gone. 

He called her name and scanned the beach, noticing there were no footsteps in the sand to or from the spot. An ominous sense of dread took hold of him.

He saw movement on the water by the black rocks. Terra watched a dark figure walked toward him, impossibly across the water.

It was Aqua… but it wasn’t. 

He knew the shape of her, the way she moved; he always had. But something was very wrong.

She looked as if she had been dipped in ink, her clothes black, the color bleeding onto her skin. Swirls of powerful darkness streamed off of her as she paced closer. The sheen on her hair wasn’t just the strange quality of light, it was a shade of silver he knew far too well. And her eyes… 

“Aqua...” Terra whispered, horrified. _What had he done?_

“So surprised,” came Aqua’s voice from this entity that both was and was not Aqua. It was her, but the bite and bitterness was so unlike anything he had ever heard from her. She sneered, spreading her arms. “Don’t you recognize your own handiwork?”

The nagging sense of familiarity lurched forward in his mind. He had been here before, locked deep, deep away… he felt like he was going to be sick. 

She continued, each step silent and eerie above the water, each word like a knife. “Can’t bother to remember how _he_ came here with all that was left of _you_ trailing behind like a mere shadow?”

Terra squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the memories engulfing him. It was beyond when he lost control of his own body, when he was enslaved so far as to protect his own captor. When Aqua was without a keyblade, facing down the part of Xehanort that called himself Ansem. His own frustrations with the ongoing fight, festering like a gaping wound, filling the emptiness inside him, creating a mass of dark energy...

“Remember how you poured all your pain and sorrow and despair into my heart and my own sang in harmony with it, and all that was left of my light went out like a candle? How you made me empty, a waiting vessel for the one who took _everything_ from me?”

Terra was on his knees in the surf, his face wet with tears. Shame choked the words from him.

She was close, her beautiful face full of scorn and resentment, gold eyes narrowed.

“You can suffer as I have, in shame, alone in this awful place for a _third_ of my _life,_ when every time I found the slightest ray of hope, it was ripped away from me. It is _all your fault_ that I became darkness itself. You deserve _nothing_ but darkness.”

Darkness oozed from her, pooling on the surface of the water and drifting to where Terra knelt in the surf, clinging to him in great sticky globs. Under the water, his hands looked different, but unfortunately, upsettingly familiar. The hands of the guardian, the dark husk of his being subservient to Xehanort’s will. He wanted to recoil, but she was probably right; this was what he deserved.

But there, beyond where the dark version of Aqua stood, a light flickered in the depths of the water. It flickered feebly, sinking deeper. Though the heartache, he could feel the weak light calling to him. 

Terra scrambled in the surf, nightmare Aqua summoning a shadowy keyblade, but he turned aside from her. He wouldn’t fight her; that wasn’t right. The darkness clinging to him tried to catch him up, but he splashed forward. With a great breath, Terra dove into a swell, swimming down toward the fading light.

As he descended, the light resolved into a shimmering silver orb. It was the only thing he could see. Darkness pressed on him from all sides, seeming to whisper his worst thoughts to him: _You won’t make it. It’s not worth it. You aren’t worth it. She couldn’t love you. You can’t even love yourself. She’s left you. You’ve already failed. There’s only darkness._

But he pressed on, and with every stroke closer to the light, he could see the clinging black matter bubbling off his skin, streaming back to the surface. He could see his own hand reaching toward the bright orb.

His lungs were burning as he pressed his hand flat to the surface of the silver barrier. He could feel her familiar light magic as the barrier shimmered away, and he found his hand pressed to hers in the darkness. He caught a glimpse of her, his Aqua, before the darkness swallowed them. She grabbed his hand tight as air formerly inside the barrier exploded upward in a cascade of bubbles, giving them a boost, but they were soon left kicking toward the surface.

Terra was soon unable to control his limbs. He felt as though he might burst. He could vaguely feel Aqua tugging at him. Spots swam across his vision, and fighting as hard as he could, he couldn’t stop himself; his lungs took a greedy gasp of what he hoped was air.

Some of it was. His head broke the surface of the dark water just as he inhaled. He felt some relief just to breathe. 

But some of it what came pouring into his lungs was not air. Splashing water and darkness filled him, as well.

He felt a lot of pain. His chest burned. His limbs were limp. He felt an insistent heaviness, a pulling, but all he could do was cough and try to breathe. 

Just trying to remain, trying to exist. He knew that feeling.

He was tethered, being pulled along. He knew that feeling, too.

The pain in his chest. It’s all he had known for so long.

Air was coming more easily now amid his choking breaths. Thoughts began to swim through his mind through the pain.

_This was how it had to be. This is what I deserve._

Between his gasps, he heard Aqua; she sounded distressed. He forced his eyes to open and focus, and she saw her leaning over him, dripping wet, her face pale and frightened, but very much the Aqua he knew and loved. She was calling his name, and he could feel her hands running over him. He could feel wet sand beneath him, water lapping at his legs. Aqua must have dragged him here, or maybe used some magic.

He felt unusual… but not an unknown feeling. With effort, he raised a hand to his chest; but his hand was enormous and black, and his chest was misshapen. He found his own chest, but only through a heart-shaped hole in the dark matter which clung to him.

_It was right to be this way. All the pain I caused, all the pain I felt… I am that pain. It’s all I am. It’s all that’s left._

“Terra.” Aqua’s voice was insistent and pleading. Words tumbled from her. “Terra, I’m _so sorry._ Please, please Terra. Come back to me. _Please_.”

“Hurt,” Terra mumbled. His jaw was stiff, his tongue thick and clumsy. 

He could feel Aqua’s hands running over him, and then she paused over his chest. He could feel an immensely powerful healing spell course through his entire body, and while his lungs suddenly released and breath came easily, he remained covered in darkness.

“Hurt _you_ ,” Terra struggled. 

Aqua seemed surprised, and she checked herself over, as if unaware of her own body. 

Terra weakly pointed to himself, then to her, then to the shoreline. 

“Oh. Oh, _that._ Her. Me.” Aqua stroked Terra’s face, which did not feel right to him. “I’m sorry. She… I… that’s my nightmare. _This_ is my nightmare.” She gestured around at the realm of darkness, then rested her hand on his chest. Tears rolled down her cheeks. “Losing you again is my nightmare.”

After everything that happened to her, after creating the circumstances that lead to her own nightmares, “How… can you… forgive me?” Terra managed. 

Aqua looked aghast. “Forgive you? Terra, there’s nothing to forgive. You didn’t choose this.”

“I was this. I _am_ this.”

“No. This is what was done _to_ you. Xehanort used you.”

Terra shook his head. “Let him get you. Made you _her_.”

Aqua leaned down against him and wrapped her arms around his monstrous torso. He recoiled, afraid the darkness would cling to her, too, but she held him tight.

“I wish with every bond I have to the light that I could change what happened to you. To me. To us. But I can’t. My nightmare is a part of me, but I know she’s just a bad dream. She’s my loneliness and anger and fear. But I don’t have to be her when I wake up. I’m so sorry for what she… I said. And I’m sorry I couldn’t save you all those years ago and save you this heartache now. I hope _you_ can forgive _me._ ”

Terra hesitantly put a hand on her back. It nearly covered her entire torso. “Nothing to forgive. Bad dream.”

Aqua hugged him tighter. “I know you have always done your best. I don’t blame you, and I know you wouldn’t hurt me, not before, and not now. I love you. Not just who you used to be before Xehanort hurt you. I love you now, here, as you are.”

Terra could feel the dark matter softening like wax in the warmth of her light. He could sense the connection of their hearts, of the love and light she shared with him. The darkness covering him began to recede, starting from the vicinity of his heart. 

He took a shuddering breath, working his jaw as it began to feel normal. He tried her name, and she picked up her head to look at him with bright eyes. “Aqua, I ... I can’t...” The words stopped in his throat, and he tried to swallow.

Aqua, patient, only stroked his wet hair as the darkness left him, but her eyes were anxious and inquisitive.

“I love you. But I don’t feel worthy. Of you. Of us.”

His hand on her back felt like his own again as he held her. Aqua marveled at him as the last of the darkness sloughed off and dissolved into the sand. “You are.”

He took a shuddering breath, feeling in control of his own body again. He continued, feeling bolder. “I know Xehanort is gone. Those memories change me and affect me, but I don’t have to let them control me, either. The darkness is a part of me, but I don’t have to _be_ the darkness. I can choose light. How can I not, with you to light my way.” 

They wrapped their arms tightly around each other, Aqua burying her face in his neck, and they stayed that way for some time. With no time in the Realm of Darkness, Terra could have contentedly held Aqua forever. 

Eventually, however, they shifted, Terra sitting up, and Aqua tucked comfortably against his chest. Softly, Aqua spoke, “I know this isn’t a nightmare anymore because you’re with me. But... how did we get here?”

He stroked her hair, which was still damp. He spoke in a hushed tone. “What’s the last thing you remember?”

“Before all this? We were on Sora and Riku’s island. It collapsed. I guess I fell here?”

“You did, but that’s not everything. You fell, and so did I… but you weren’t conscious when I found you.”

“Oh.” She was quiet for a moment, thinking. “That’s not good.”

“No. So… I dove into your dream to find you.”

“Oh.” Aqua frowned. “That’s not good at all.”

Terra frowned, too. “Well, I had to do something.” 

Aqua placed her hand soothingly on Terra’s cheek, but looked around the darkness. “So this is my dream _within_ your dream?”

“Apparently. Though up to this point it seemed pretty nightmarish to me, too, so I’ve lost track.” In that moment, he didn’t care what convoluted circumstances led him there; cradling Aqua was enough. “But I guess we’ll have to untangle all this if we’re ever going to wake up from enchanted sleep. I figured we could get help, or work it out together.” 

Aqua delicately traced her fingers along Terra’s jaw and hovered just over his lips before she shifted in his arms again, turning to face him directly. Her cheeks were flushed, but she held his gaze. “I really only know one verified remedy for enchanted sleep.”

Terra’s eyes dropped to her mouth. “Maybe I should have done this before.”

Aqua was tantalizingly close. “Why didn’t you?”

Terra huffed. “Because... Because it wasn’t right! Because I want to kiss you, and I want you to kiss me back.”

Aqua smiled. “Good reason. Though... I suppose it wouldn’t be the first time it happened in a dream of mine.”

He marveled at her. “Likewise.” 

His hands traced along her spine and she leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. They closed their eyes and she pressed her forehead against his; she was so, so close. Their hearts called to one another.

Her warm lips whispered against his. “Do you think it will work?”

“Does it matter?” Terra murmured as he pressed his mouth to hers.

They were still for a few heartbeats, sinking into each other, feeling the softness and warmth of the kiss. Then Aqua’s fingers tightened in his hair, and she tugged him down closer, deeper. 

Time slipped away and the world was just her, the pounding of her heart against his, her hot breath in his mouth, and the enrapturing way she mumbled his name against his lips. 

There was surely magic in the kiss, but Terra was only dimly aware of reality shifting around them. He certainly noticed when the press of Aqua’s lips faded. 

Terra opened his eyes slowly, feeling disoriented. He was once again lying in his bed, the soft pink of dawn coloring his room. 

He was awake. 

Aqua was curled beside him, her head propped next to his on the pillow as she blinked awake as well, meeting his gaze.

Everything in the Realm of Sleep, the kiss… had been a dream. But it hadn’t been his dream alone, had it? 

Aqua reached up to touch his face with light, hesitant fingers as he wrapped an arm around her waist. Her other hand rested against his heart, fingers tightening in the fabric of his shirt. She looked to his lips and whispered his name.

The gesture was like opening a floodgate. Terra shifted and pulled her close as Aqua slid her hand from his cheek to bury her fingers in his hair. 

They both gasped a breath before they kissed again, for the first time in the warm, clear light of sunrise.


	7. Chapter 7

Aqua came to consciousness gently, feeling pleasantly cozy. The pillow and sheets felt perfectly soft and comfortable. Bright sunlight poured into the room. 

Sleeping so late into the morning was surely the success of the Dream Eaters.

Or, well, the result of being reasonably tired.

Her suncatchers painted rainbows across the walls and onto the sheets, and she shifted in bed, propping her head up with an arm under the pillow to enjoy the view.

Terra slept peacefully beside her, broad bare chest rising and falling softly. His limbs were stretched out over their shared bed in the warmth of the morning. 

She nestled in her ball of sheets and smiled.

Weeks ago, mornings like this were beyond her dreams; she had stopped wishing this far, because the concept of life being this idyllic was incomprehensible. 

She still had many moments of disbelief, and the messy truths of recovery, with dark memories and melancholy weaved their way unexpectedly through her days. But she didn’t have to do it alone; she was able to heal with her loved ones.

Her current level of intimacy with Terra was still fairly new, but felt wonderfully right. It was a relief to be transparent with one another about their feelings and needs… and desires.

As she went back to admiring Terra, the softly insistent chime of the Gummiphone started up from somewhere behind her.

Terra woke quickly with a grunt, screwing his eyes closed tighter. “Don’t answer,” he mumbled. “They’ll give up.”

Aqua rolled over, reaching for the phone on the bedside stand. “It’s probably Ven.”

Keyblade training was progressing, which lead to Ven’s current whereabouts. 

Ven had taken to their new training regimen with his usual enthusiasm. Terra had become comfortable with offensive tactics again, though he still favored a more thoughtful defense than he had before. He was getting comfortable with the idea of trying for the Mark again.

Ven trained with both of them, and his skills were greatly improved, perhaps by second-hand knowledge, but certainly through study and application. He wasn’t a perfect student, but Aqua was sure she wasn’t a perfect teacher yet, either. They missed Master Eraqus, sometimes painfully, but they grew together.

Sometimes, Ven went off on adventures with Riku. As a fellow Keyblade Master, another reference for training was useful, and Ven and Riku seemed to enjoy each other's company. Aqua suspected Ven wanted to give her and Terra space sometimes.

Aqua managed to grab the phone as Terra reached for her, wrapping his warm arm around her waist, pulling her flush against him. 

She was imminently grateful they had discovered messaging capabilities without video on the phone. She attempted to focus on reading instead of Terra nuzzling his face against her neck. 

“Is he coming home?” Terra asked, his voice muffled against her skin. His movements were somewhat slow and sleepy, but becoming less so by the moment.

Aqua tilted her head to allow him better access. “In an hour or so.”

“Tell him to take his time.”

The message took some time to type coherently, but she obligingly did so, then stretched to deposit the phone back on the table. She leaned back, Terra propping himself up on an elbow above her. 

She swept her eyes over the long lines of him, uninterrupted by clothing. She traced a finger lightly along his chest. “Good morning. Rested?”

He smiled down at her, blue eyes bright, and she could feel the flush of her cheeks. “I slept like…”

“A rock?” Aqua offered with a giggle. 

“Something like that. You?”

“The same. I think I had an unsettled sort of dream when I first fell asleep, but I don’t really remember.” She reached up to comb her fingers through his hair, which was very disheveled indeed. 

Terra leaned down to kiss her forehead firmly, as if to banish any bad dreams. He followed with another brushing kiss at her temple, another at her cheek, and then a series of kisses down along her jaw…

And then let out a deep sigh of discontentment as the phone chimed again.

Aqua watched the fascinating interplay of Terra’s muscles as he stretched across her to get the phone. He operated it with one hand, frowning, as he continued to lean over her.

“Ven still. He says ‘it’s a surprise.’” He missed the table attempting to return the phone, the object rattling down into a crevice between the bed and the wall.

Aqua laughed. “We’re never going to find that again.”

She spared a thought to hope it was undamaged. She didn't look forward to a repeat of the withering look Ienzo had given her when he replaced the last screen after accidental spell damage, but at least she hadn't needed as many repairs as Terra, who chronically forgot his new device was in his pocket during sparring sessions.

Terra settled down against her and nuzzled into her neck again. His lips brushed against her as he whispered, “Good.”

His kisses wandered, leaving a trail along her collarbone. She slid her fingertips up along his side, then skimmed over his shoulder blades and down his spine. 

Terra shifted, and somewhere behind the bed, the phone rattled and thumped to the floor. He paused. “Maybe…” his voice was heavy with reluctance, “maybe we should get up.”

Aqua held him fast, twining her arms tight around him. “Should we?”

Terra let out a shuddering breath, his hands poised at her sides. “We only have an hour.”

“Terra,” Aqua reasoned, “when has Ventus, in his entire life, ever been on time?”

Terra grinned at her. “This better not be the first time,” he murmured as he captured her lips with his.

* * *

Despite Terra’s reluctance to hurry, they managed to comfortably transition from making love to making breakfast before Ven got home. 

They appreciated Ven’s habitual tardiness.

Aqua went out to the kitchen garden to gather a few herbs while Terra cooked. Despite having a magical pantry, they had given a little attention to pruning and replanting the little garden; it was good to have a backup in case the cabinet got cantankerous, and the activity was soothing. 

She heard Ven thundering down the inner stairwell as she was about to re-enter from outside, and she stopped short to quietly observe the interaction. 

Ven had taken the news of their relationship generally well, with a mixture of smirking and the occasional good-natured exclamation of “gross.” He actually seemed to be quite happy for them, which lead to some gentle teasing. 

At first, Terra had been embarrassed about Ven being privy to any displays of affection, to the point of avoiding looking at her when the three of them were together. Ven had taken him to task for it (“ _You’re acting like you_ hate _her!_ ”), and things had gradually gotten more comfortable. That wasn’t to say there weren’t a fair share of blushes, but Aqua didn’t especially fault herself for blushing when thinking about Terra’s romantic gestures. They were still adapting, trying to remember to lock doors and knock on them, in Ven’s case, when necessary, but it was going reasonably well so far.

“Terra, I’m back!” Ven yelled from the doorway, in full sight of the kitchen but pretending not to look. “I hope you’re done ravishing Aqua on the kitchen table!”

Terra let out a disgruntled huff over the eggs he was cooking. “Don’t be disgusting, Ven. We don’t do that in the kitchen when you’re out of the castle, that would be totally inappropriate.” He picked up the frying pan and turned around, calmly adding, “We do it in the library like civilized people.”

Ven collapsed heavily into a chair and flopped his head onto his folded arms. “Ugh, I wish you were joking.”

Terra smirked. “You started it. Get your elbows off the table. How many eggs do you want?”

“All of them.”

Terra scooped the three eggs he had been cooking onto Ven’s plate, then went to crack more into the pan for himself and Aqua.

It seemed like a safe enough time for entry.

“Morning, Ven,” she greeted, dropping a sprig of parsley onto his head as she passed. Ven shook it down onto his plate and promptly ate it. “Welcome home, missed you!”

“I wasn’t gone long enough for you to miss me. Just enough to make you appreciate me more when I come home.”

“Maybe you better leave and come back a little later then,” Terra suggested.

“Ha,” Ven retorted.

Aqua comfortably bumped into Terra at the stove and dropped off the herbs, then prompted further conversation. “So you said there’s a surprise?”

Ven looked pleased with himself. “There is. After breakfast.”

“What! Patience!?” Aqua exclaimed.

“Well, I was going to show you right away, but then Terra put these eggs on my plate.”

He was, however, halfway done at that point. He finished eating with even more speed than usual, and was left tapping his feet as Aqua and Terra had theirs.

“Toast?” Terra suggested when their plates were cleared.

“Argh, no, toast later. Come on!”

The patience lessons were clearly making an impact, but there was still room for growth.

“Where are we going, Ven?” asked Aqua.

“Outside.”

Aqua had been briefly outside around the back of the castle and hadn’t seen anything amiss. “Is it alive?” she asked warily.

“Just come on!”

Ven rocked from foot to foot while they tidied the breakfast plates, then he took off, gesturing toward the front of the castle. Aqua and Terra shrugged at one another and followed, interlacing their fingers when they bumped hands.

Aqua loved the strength of Terra’s hands, but there was a profound gentleness and deftness to his touch that she had only begun to discover. It took her breath away even to think about it.

Aqua’s cheeks felt warm as they made their way to the foyer. Ven was waiting at the door. He gave an enormous grin and flung the doors wide.

In the bright courtyard was a Gummi Ship, about the same size as the _Highwind_ , angular, mostly silver, and featuring accents in rich shades of green, blue, and amber. 

Ven looked vastly pleased with himself. “Cid and Riku have been helping me with it. Chip and Dale, too.”

“It looks amazing, Ven!” Aqua exclaimed. The ship caught the light in a beautiful fashion. 

Terra ruffled Ven’s hair affectionately. “Should’ve known you weren’t still paying off those Moogles.”

Ven kicked the nearest step sheepishly. “Actually… I still owe them about a dozen mythril shards.”

“Ven!” 

“What!” Ven protested. “That stuff doesn’t grow on trees! And when people feel happy, the Heartless don’t want to show up. I’m working on it. Anyway, this… seemed important.” He looked up at them through his shock of hair, sounding thoughtful. “We won’t always need to fly with our armor, and we can go to places together.”

Aqua placed a hand to her heart and Terra smiled, bittersweet and genuine. 

“I love it,” Terra said, his voice full of emotion. He gestured toward the ship. “What’ll you call her?”

Ven grinned. “I was thinking… the _Wayfinder_.”

Aqua felt tears prickle at her eyes, and she reached out to grab both Terra and Ven’s hands, beaming at them both. “It’s perfect.”

The need for the ship spoke to how imperfect their lives still were. They still felt the effects of their trials, and sometimes the wounds were far from healed. But they were together, and there was so much joy and love that the days ahead felt full of light. 

As they looked up at the ship, Chirithy bounced into view from inside the cockpit, waving his little paws.

“Do you both want to go for a ride?” Ven asked enthusiastically. “ I’ll teach you how to fly!” 

Aqua and Terra exchanged glances, smiling. “Sure,” said Terra. 

“Where are we going?” Aqua asked Ven as he tugged them both toward the ship, grinning.

“For a day with best friends, we need games, laughs, and ice cream. Disney Town, of course.”


End file.
